Hatoyama, EU president-designate pledge to work together on climate

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TOKYO, Nov. 26 Kyodo -
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Thursday held telephone talks with
the newly chosen EU president-designate, Herman Van Rompuy, on Thursday and
agreed to work together on tackling climate change, and economic and financial
problems.
Rompuy, who has just stepped down as Belgian prime minister, said both Japan
and the EU bear great responsibility for resolving these issues on an
international scale, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
During the 10-minute conversation, which the Japanese prime minister asked to
be arranged, Hatoyama congratulated his former Belgian counterpart for being
selected the first president of the European Council, which consists of EU
leaders, last week.
Emphasizing that Japan needs an economic partnership agreement with the
European Union to boost ties, Hatoyama was quoted by the ministry as saying,
''Although there may be difficult sectors, I want to solve (problems) by
overcoming difficulties.''
Hatoyama added that he looks forward to seeing the EU president-designate
exercise leadership in pursing that goal.
Rompuy's selection as the EU's first president came after British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown dropped his support for former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair as EU president.
Rompuy will be inaugurated under the Lisbon treaty, which goes into force Dec.
1 to make the EU decision-making process easier. He will serve in the post for
two and a half years.
==Kyodo
2009-11-26 23:28:06