Brussels, 03/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - On a visit to Japan, during talks with Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy reaffirmed, on Thursday 3 November, the EU's solidarity with the Japanese people in the wake of the terrible events of 11 March, when an earthquake caused a tsunami and nuclear disaster on the island. Catherine Ashton spoke of the commitment taken in May 2011 to deepen cooperation with regard to nuclear safety and disaster management. The EU and Japan are also discussing how to share experience on nuclear stress tests. The EU is ready to look into possibilities for assisting in decontamination and decommissioning, Ashton added, saying the Japanese and Europeans have already stepped up their cooperation in the fields of nuclear safety research and radiation protection.
The EU foreign policy chief and the Japanese foreign minister also held “in-depth discussions about a wide range of challenges facing the international community”, such as the Middle East Peace Process, the transition in North Africa, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the fight against piracy off the Horn of Africa. “These are all issues where the EU and Japan are each making an important contribution and where I see scope to work in closer partnership with Japan in the future”, Ashton said. They also tackled the regional security situation and agreed that security and stability in East Asia is a precondition for the region's continued economic success. “We also noted the important contribution that multilateral mechanisms could have in ensuring this”, Ashton said.
When leaving, on 3 November, for the meeting of volunteers for helping to rebuild the Miyagi zone, one of the regions most affected by the earthquake and tsunami, High Representative Catherine Ashton underlined how impressed she was by the “determination and courage” of the Japanese when confronted by the challenges of reconstruction. (CG/transl.jl)