Asia-Pacific

Indonesia, Japan to reduce proliferation of nuke weapon

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-04 14:09

JAKARTA - Indonesia and Japan have agreed to a joint attempt to push progress in a world disarmament agenda despite opposition from several countries that posses a nuclear arsenal, local media reported on Wednesday.

"Indonesia and Japan, as well as a number of other countries, will have a special meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Tuesday.

"Every nation's position is already crystal clear. What we want to emphasize now are attempts to bridge all these positions. Indonesia and Japan are trying to identify common grounds so our approach will be constructive."

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He said Australia would also join Indonesia and Japan.

Marty was speaking to reporters after a bilateral meeting with Japanese State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Osamu Fujimura on the sidelines of a two-day special ministerial meeting to review Millennium Development Goals at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta.

Fujimura said Japan and Australia were planning to meet on the issue.

"During my meeting with Marty, I expressed our hope for him to participate in the planned meeting," Marty was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.

Marty said that this year provided fresh momentum and keeping the disarmament issue alive would help create progress in the agenda.