Japan, Vietnam agree to launch foreign, defense talks framework

HANOI, July 24 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Gia
Khiem agreed Saturday to launch a bilateral framework for consultations between
high-level foreign and defense officials to strengthen their security ties, a
Japanese official said.
Okada, who was on a visit to Vietnam for meetings of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, also pitched Japan's nuclear power generation
technology and high-speed railway system for export to the fast-growing
Southeast Asian country, the official said.
The two countries will establish a so-called ''two-plus-two'' dialogue for
bilateral strategic partnership involving vice foreign ministers and director
general-level defense officials, he said.
Japan holds minister-level two-plus-two meetings with the United States and
Australia, and vice minister-level talks with India.
Tokyo and Hanoi had agreed in April last year to upgrade the existing foreign
and defense dialogue frameworks to further bolster bilateral ties.
On nuclear power generation, Okada told Khiem, who doubles as deputy prime
minister, that he hopes the two countries will kick off at an early date
official negotiations aimed at sealing a bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation
pact, according to the official.
A bilateral nuclear cooperation pact will pave the way for sales of Japanese
nuclear power-generation technology and equipment to Vietnam. The two countries
held informal talks on the nuclear pact in June.
The Japanese minister also requested that Vietnam adopt Japanese bullet train
technology for its north-south railway construction plan. He also said Tokyo is
willing to consult with Hanoi on the matter so that the project will not put
excessive financial burdens on Vietnam.
Khiem said although the Vietnamese parliament recently decided not to give the
green light to a government plan on the railway system, the project was not
rejected and approval is still pending. He expressed hope that the project will
be a symbol of long-term bilateral cooperation, according to the Japanese
official.
Okada also discussed with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Friday
bilateral cooperation over nuclear power generation and high-speed railway
construction.
==Kyodo