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Annan calls on East Asia to put 'past to rest'

Visiting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (L) and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso shake hands while sharing a laugh prior to their talks at the Iikura guesthouse in Tokyo, 17 May 2006. Annan asked Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi whether Japan would be willing to consider helping the United Nations with its "transport needs" in Iraq, a Japanese foreign ministry official said. Photo courtesy of Kazuhiro Nogi and AFP.
by Staff Writers
 Tokyo (AFP) May 18, 2006
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called Thursday on East Asian countries to "put their past to rest" amid tension between Japan and its neighbors over wartime history.

Annan delivered his message to students at the University of Tokyo a day after addressing the issue with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who has infuriated neighboring countries by visiting a war shrine.

"Recently, there are new tensions between Japan, China and South Korea. I think there are areas all the countries can say and make gestures to reassure and to put their past to rest and look forward to the future," Annan said in response to a student's question.

Speaking later at a news conference, Annan said it was up to the three countries to determine what those gestures should be.

"The countries in the region know each other. They are fully aware of what irritates or worries or provokes the other side," Annan said.

"They will have to assess the situation for themselves and determine what changes one has to make to a smooth relationship and to facilitate promotion of the potentially really dynamic region," he said.

Annan has already visited South Korea and heads on Friday to China on a five-nation tour of Asia.

Koizumi has gone five times since assuming office in 2001 to Yasukuni shrine, which honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead and 14 top war criminals.

China and South Korea, which were invaded by Japan in the 20th century, consider the shrine a symbol of militarism.

China has called off all top-level talks with Koizumi due to the dispute.

Japan has been pushing for a meeting between the two nations' foreign ministers when they attend the Asian Cooperation Dialogue forum in Qatar next week.

China is "still researching" the proposal, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday in Beijing.

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SINO DAILY
Japan and China fail to bridge gulf on sea dispute
 Tokyo (AFP) May 18, 2006
Japan and China tried to find common ground Thursday in a heated row over lucrative gas and oilfields in the East China Sea but failed to make a breakthrough.






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