Japan, China, S. Korea to issue 3 statements on cooperation

TOKYO, Dec. 11 Kyodo - The leaders of Japan, China and South Korea plan to adopt a joint statement at Saturday's trilateral meeting on the basic principles of their cooperation, including enhancing ties to tackle issues on North Korea, government sources
said Thursday.

In the meeting to be held in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, the three countries
also plan to adopt two other statements to address the global financial crisis
and to cooperate on disaster preparedness, the sources said.
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean
President Lee Myung Bak are expected to announce an ''action plan,'' which
calls for trilateral cooperation on about 30 areas including environment
protection and people exchanges.
The joint statement on basic principles of the trilateral cooperation will
stress that ''the strengthening future-oriented cooperation will contribute to
peace and stability in Asia,'' according to the sources.
The statement on tackling the financial crisis will mention expanding the size
of the currency swap deal by the three countries as well as strengthening a
currency swap scheme including countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, the sources said.
It will also include setting up annual meetings by the three nations' central
bank chiefs to strengthen cooperation.
On the statement on disaster preparedness, the three nations are expected to
agree to start ministerial meetings and enhance cooperation with relevant
emergency relief organizations.
The one-day summit will be the first meeting of leaders of the three countries
except for gatherings held on the sidelines of international conferences.
Aso will also meet bilaterally with Lee and Wen prior to the trilateral summit
to strengthen bilateral relationships and exchange opinions on financial issues
and bilateral issues.
In a meeting by Aso and Wen, the Japanese prime minister is expected to take up
the issue about the intrusion by two Chinese survey ships into Japanese
territorial waters in the East China Sea, Japanese officials said earlier.