ID :
66469
Thu, 06/18/2009 - 20:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/66469
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Japan, Iraq agree to closely cooperate for stability in Iraq
TOKYO, June 18 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar
Zebari agreed Thursday to maintain close cooperation for the peace and
stability in Iraq and its neighboring countries, as well as to strengthen
bilateral ties in the fields of energy and culture.
Zebari expressed ''deep appreciation for the wide-ranging reconstruction
assistance'' that Japan has been providing to Iraq, including one provided by
the Self-Defense Forces for five years until last December, according to a
joint statement issued after the two ministers held talks in Tokyo.
It is the first time an Iraqi foreign minister has visited Japan after the SDF
ended its reconstruction aid operations in Iraq. The activities started in the
wake of the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003.
On cooperation in the political field, Japan will ''support the promotion of
confidence building and enhancement of inter-regional relationship between Iraq
and neighboring countries through assistance'' in the fields of energy and
infrastructure, the statement said.
The two also agreed to continue the Japan-Iraq high-level policy dialogue once
a year in either Tokyo or Baghdad in principle. The first dialogue was held in
March 2009 in Tokyo.
To step up economic ties, the ministers confirmed they expect increased
activities of Japanese companies in the sectors of oil, gas and electricity.
Iraq has an oil reserve which ranks third in the world.
Japan hopes Iraq will make further efforts to improve security, with Nakasone
saying Tokyo will continue to consider offering reconstruction assistance such
as through Japanese official development assistance loans, the statement said.
Zebari is staying in Japan for six days from Wednesday and is expected to meet
with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Friday. The Japanese Foreign Ministry
said he also plans to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by an atomic bomb
dropped by the United States in 1945 at the end of World War II.
==Kyodo
Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar
Zebari agreed Thursday to maintain close cooperation for the peace and
stability in Iraq and its neighboring countries, as well as to strengthen
bilateral ties in the fields of energy and culture.
Zebari expressed ''deep appreciation for the wide-ranging reconstruction
assistance'' that Japan has been providing to Iraq, including one provided by
the Self-Defense Forces for five years until last December, according to a
joint statement issued after the two ministers held talks in Tokyo.
It is the first time an Iraqi foreign minister has visited Japan after the SDF
ended its reconstruction aid operations in Iraq. The activities started in the
wake of the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003.
On cooperation in the political field, Japan will ''support the promotion of
confidence building and enhancement of inter-regional relationship between Iraq
and neighboring countries through assistance'' in the fields of energy and
infrastructure, the statement said.
The two also agreed to continue the Japan-Iraq high-level policy dialogue once
a year in either Tokyo or Baghdad in principle. The first dialogue was held in
March 2009 in Tokyo.
To step up economic ties, the ministers confirmed they expect increased
activities of Japanese companies in the sectors of oil, gas and electricity.
Iraq has an oil reserve which ranks third in the world.
Japan hopes Iraq will make further efforts to improve security, with Nakasone
saying Tokyo will continue to consider offering reconstruction assistance such
as through Japanese official development assistance loans, the statement said.
Zebari is staying in Japan for six days from Wednesday and is expected to meet
with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Friday. The Japanese Foreign Ministry
said he also plans to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by an atomic bomb
dropped by the United States in 1945 at the end of World War II.
==Kyodo
