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Japan, US confirm cooperation on Iranian nuclear row
AFP
TOKYO
Petroleumworld.com 06 13 06Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday confirmed their cooperation in resolving Iran's nuclear row.
During a 10-minute telephone conversation, Aso told Rice that Japan was ready to play an "active role" in urging Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Rice replied that Washington would keep in close contact with Tokyo over the Iranian nuclear issue ahead of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the United States later this month, it said.
While calling on Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment program, Japan has previously voiced caution about imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Being almost entirely dependent on foreign oil, Japan is a major investor in Iran and maintains close ties with the Islamic regime, despite repeated US calls to review its ties.
Tehran says it wants to develop nuclear energy purely for peaceful purposes, but the United States suspects this programme is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.
AFP 12 1431 GMT 06 06
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