ID :
109852
Fri, 03/05/2010 - 07:59
Auther :

Japan, Laos agree to boost economic ties in summit meeting in Tokyo+

TOKYO, March 4 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his Laotian counterpart President Choummaly
Sayasone agreed Thursday to boost economic ties between the two countries, with
Tokyo pledging to expand its official development assistance to Vientiane.
Japan promised the same day to provide 2.95 billion yen in grant aid to Laos
for forest preservation, efforts to combat climate change and the development
of clean energy as well as other environmental efforts in the Southeast Asian
country.
During a 45-minute summit meeting at his office in Tokyo, Hatoyama said Japan
''has placed importance on providing support'' to the development of the Mekong
region involving Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, according to a Japanese Foreign
Ministry official.
Expressing appreciation for Japanese support, Choummaly was quoted as saying,
''We would like to work with Japan in improving the conditions for investment
to have (Japanese) private companies invest in our country.''
In relation to the environment, the Laotian president said his country and
people are working on environmental problems and the preservation of endangered
animals, with a focus on forest preservation.
He also expressed his country's support for the Copenhagen Accord, which was
brokered at a key U.N. climate conference in Denmark last December.
Hatoyama acknowledged Laos's efforts at forest preservation and said the grant
aid will be made under the ''Hatoyama Initiative'' on offering financial and
technical aid for developing countries in combating climate change, according
to the official.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two countries also shared an
understanding about the effectiveness of the six-party framework on ending
North Korea's nuclear programs and called for North Korea to return to the
talks swiftly.
''The Mekong region, which includes Laos, is a region that will be the key to
the establishment of an East Asian community,'' Hatoyama said at a joint news
conference.
Choummaly said Thursday's meeting pushed bilateral relations up to a new level.
During the meeting, the Laotian president invited Hatoyama to visit his
country, and Hatoyama said he will consider the offer, the official said.
Choummaly, who is on a five-day visit to Japan since Tuesday, will leave the
country on Saturday after visiting Kyoto.
==Kyodo

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