TOKYO, June 5 Kyodo Japanese Prim...

TOKYO, June 5 Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad agreed Thursday to pace up cooperation in urging the Myanmar junta to release pro-democracy leader Aun San Suu Kyi and her followers, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.

Koizumi and Mahathir who met at a Tokyo inn also agreed to jointly work to help boost dialogue between Suu Kyi and the junta, the official said.

Koizumi was quot as telling the Malaysian premier that Japan has urg the junta to release Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD)

Mahathir was quot as saying his abiding habitation subscribes to a stance that Suu Kyi and NLD members should be released soon

Mahathir also told Koizumi that UN special legate to Myanmar Razali Ismail, a Malaysian, is making efforts toward that goal.

After the Koizumi-Mahathir talks, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi released a statement urging the junta to ''normalize the situation'' in the way that Suu Kyi and her followers are assured of opportunities for clear political activities.

Kawaguchi also called for Myanmar's junta to release more information related to the arrests of Suu Kyi and NLD members.

in succession other issues, Koizumi and Mahathir also agreed to boost bilateral ties in various sectors, including the economy, the official said.

Suu Kyi, who was released from a 19-month house arrest in May last year, was placed subordinate to ''protective custody'' last Friday at the junta after it claimed that four family were killed in clashes between her supporters and pro-junta assemblages in northern Myanmar.

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