Japan, Germany hail U.N. Iran sanctions resolution

TOKYO, June 10 Kyodo -
Japan and Germany welcomed Thursday a fresh resolution adopted by the U.N.
Security Council to slap additional sanctions on Iran over its nuclear
ambitions, with the two countries' foreign ministers agreeing that it is ''a
clear message to Iran from the international community.''
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his German counterpart Guido
Westerwelle also agreed in their telephone talks they will continue to
cooperate closely in their efforts to promote nuclear nonproliferation and
disarmament as well as to combat climate change, according to the Japanese
Foreign Ministry.
The Security Council voted Wednesday 12 to 2 in favor of a resolution presented
by the United States, which spells the fourth round of sanctions against Tehran
for its continued uranium enrichment program.
Okada underlined the importance of implementing the new resolution and pressing
Iran to make a ''wise decision.'' Westerwelle expressed gratitude for Japan's
support for the adoption of the resolution, which was co-sponsored by Germany.
The Japanese minister also thanked Germany for its cooperation in issuing a
joint statement last month urging the international community to make all-out
efforts to adopt a final document at a U.N. conference to review the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Japan, Germany, Australia, Austria, South Korea and New Zealand jointly issued
the statement, injecting momentum into the NPT review conference for the
adoption of the final document.
On the economic front, Westerwelle said Germany backs strengthening economic
ties between Japan and the European Union and hopes that Japan's new government
will work to remove nontariff barriers, which would pave the way for
negotiations on a free trade pact between Tokyo and the 27-nation regional
bloc.
The German minister also said he hopes Okada will visit Germany at an early
date, according to the ministry.
==Kyodo