Washington: US President Barack Obama
called Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and the two
discussed the ongoing tensions in the Korean peninsula, Iran's
nuclear programme and bilateral ties.
Obama and Hatoyama also expressed satisfaction with
plans to move a US Marine base to a less crowded part of the
Japanese island of Okinawa.
"The two leaders condemned the North Korean torpedo
attack on the ROKS Cheonan and pledged to cooperate closely
with the Republic of Korea, including in support of
appropriate action by the UN Security Council," the White
House said after the telephone call between the two leaders.
"The President and the Prime Minister called on North
Korea to end its provocative behaviour towards its neighbours
and to abide by its commitment to eliminate its nuclear
weapons program and to fulfill its other international
obligations," it said.
On Iran, Obama stressed the importance of
international efforts to ensure that Tehran complies with its
nonproliferation obligations, and the leaders agreed to
continue close coordination in the UN Security Council.
The two leaders agreed that recent events in the
region further underscored the importance of the US-Japan
alliance.
"They reiterated their commitment to use this 50th
anniversary year to strengthen cooperation under the US-Japan
Treaty of Mutual Security and Cooperation," it said.
"They expressed satisfaction with the progress made by
the two sides in reaching an operationally viable and
politically sustainable plan to relocate the Marine Corps Air
Station Futenma," the White House said.
Obama noted that he looked forward to seeing Hatoyama
at the upcoming G-8 and G-20 meetings in Canada next month.
PTI
First Published: Friday, May 28, 2010, 11:30