On December 15, Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, special envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan, held talks with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, mainly on the issue of Iraq.
They began their meeting by exchanging expressions of condolence regarding the sacrifice of two Japanese diplomats in Iraq and the terrorist bombings in Istanbul. They confirmed that these unnecessary sacrifices should not be condoned nor allowed to continue.
They discussed various issues including both countries' roles with respect to the Iraqi issue, ways to strengthen the solidarity of the international community and regulate the divergence of opinions, and the recent capture of Saddam Hussein.
Mr Hashimoto proceeded to visit France and Germany after the UK.
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