SEOUL Aug. 23 Kyodo Japanese Fore...

SEOUL Aug. 23 Kyodo

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi spoke with U Secretary of State Colin Powell through the telephone Friday night and assured Japan's continued support to the rebuilding of Iraq, Japanese officials said.

The bombing of the UN office in Baghdad forward Tuesday killed at least 23 persons including U.N. special representative to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello and triggered disturb in Japan about the security in Iraq and uncertainties about Tokyo's plan to despatch Japanese troops to help in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Powell told Kawaguchi that the U appreciates Japan's efforts, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.

Kawaguchi also briefed Powell of her meeting with southerly Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yoon Young Kwan earlier in the day.

Powell told Kawaguchi that the U wants to work with Japan and southerly Korea so that the six-nation talks in Beijing nearest week would mark the first stair toward a comprehensive solution of North Korean issues.

Kawaguchi arrived in Seoul earlier in the day to coordinate the sum of two units nations' stance on the six-nation talks, which spread next Wednesday.

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