Japan, China Agree on Early Solution to Gas Dispute
Posted on: Wednesday, 7 May 2008, 06:00 CDT
Japan and China agreed Wednesday to achieve an early solution to their longstanding dispute over gas exploration rights in the East China Sea, with their leaders saying after talks in Tokyo that prospects for an agreement are now in sight.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda urged Chinese President Hu Jintao to continue dialogue with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to improve the situation and alleviate international concerns. He also said Japan supports the success of the Beijing Olympics and reiterated he hopes to attend the opening ceremony.
The two leaders also stressed that Japan and China will step up cooperation to investigate a recent food poisoning outbreak in Japan related to dumplings imported from China.
"We have gained important progress and we see prospects for resolving the issue. I am happy about that," Hu told a joint news conference. "We have agreed to continue negotiations and to achieve an agreement as soon as possible."
However, the leaders stopped short of specifying when, with Fukuda saying "it is better not to say" what the exact timing is.
The two countries have agreed to jointly develop the disputed area where economic waters claimed by Japan and China overlap, but remain apart on defining the areas in which to do so. They had initially aimed for an agreement by fall last year.
Hu arrived in Japan on Tuesday for the first visit by a Chinese head of state in a decade.
Ahead of the press conference, Fukuda and Hu issued a joint document on the principles of bilateral relations, the fourth landmark paper between the two countries since the normalizing of their diplomatic relations in 1972.
Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0455 7 May 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Newsfile. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile
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