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China, Japan talks on UN reform highlight rift
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-26 21:43
Chinese and Japanese officials held a rare one-on-one
meeting in Beijing on Monday, but their discussions highlighted the rift between
the two Asian powers.
Japan's opposition leader Seiji Maehara (R),
seen with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (L), has reiterated his
long-held view that China may be a threat to Japan despite growing
criticism of his hawkish stance.
[AFP] |
Masaharu Kono, a deputy vice-minister in Japan's Foreign Ministry met Qiao
Zonghuai, a Chinese deputy foreign minister, to discuss Japan's proposals to
overhaul the United Nations and give Japan a seat on the U.N. Security Council,
China's Foreign Ministry Web site reported on Monday.
China's leaders and foreign minister have refused to hold one-on-one meetings
with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Japanese foreign ministers,
citing Tokyo's attitudes toward Japan's wartime past and Koizumi's repeated
visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which holds the remains of 14 "Class A" war
criminals from World War Two.
The meeting between Kono and Qiao was a step toward expanded dialogue between
the two countries. But Qiao made it clear that China is reluctant to take up
U.N. reform and give a wealthy neighbor like Japan a seat on the Security
Council.
"The priority in reforming the Security Council is increasing the number of
developing countries, especially representation of Africa," Qiao told Kono,
according to Xinhua.
China will only consider reform if there is unanimous support for it, Qiao
said.
"China opposes forcing a vote on any reform plan that still engenders major
disputes," he said.
China says Japan's leaders must stop visiting the Yusukuni Shrine and show
more contrition for Japan's wartime atrocities before bilateral relations can be
healthy.
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