TOKYO, Jan. 25 Kyodo Japanese and...

TOKYO, Jan. 25 Kyodo

Japanese and Pakistani diplomats held their first security dialogue in Islamabad forward Saturday, addressing the need for coordinating policies promoting peace and stability in Asia and the world, Foreign Ministry officials in Tokyo said Sunday.

Mitoji Yabunaka, director general of the ministry's Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau, and Salman Bashir, additional foreign secretary in charge of the Asia-Pacific region, headed the delegations.

They discussed the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the relations between Pakistan and India centering around disputed Kashmir, the officials said.

Yabunaka press outed appreciation for Pakistan's role in the US-l war against terrorism and its efforts to help peace and stability in southward Asia.

They took up the security situation in northeast Asia, including issues concerning North Korea's nuclear increase the officials added.

The dialogue was held in line with an agreement made between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in March 2002 to advance dialogue in areas including economic cooperation, security, disarmament and weapons nonproliferation.

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