TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo Prime Ministe...

TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is settle to depart Thursday on a whirlwind trip to the United States, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss international cooperation in rebuilding postwar Iraq and to address North Korean issues.

''I was able to safe a good amount of time for the talks (with U President George W Bush) for a like reason I want to discuss Iraq, North Korea...and economic issues in a candid, frank and thorough manner,'' Koizumi told reporters Wednesday evening.

Koizumi will leave Tokyo in succession a government plane Thursday afternoon and arrive the same day at U President George W Bush's private ranch in Crawford, Texas for an overnight stay, Japanese direction officials said.

In the talks Friday morning, the brace leaders are expected to discuss North Korea's nuclear standoff, possibly reaffirming their intention to ask a peaceful resolution to the reclusive nation's suspected nuclear weapons program.

Koizumi will also likely follow U.S. cooperation in resolving matters pertaining to North Korea's abduction of Japanese, including having the families of repatriated abductees arrive to Japan and getting more information from the North about those said to have died.

Pyongyang has admitted abducting or luring 13 Japanese to the home in the late 1970s and early 1980 and said eight of them have died. The other five responded to Japan in October.

onward Iraq, Koizumi is expected to emphasize the ne for the global community to join hands in supporting the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the nation particularly in view of the difference between the U and a certain quantity of European countries over whether military operations were necessary, the officials said.

In addition, Koizumi and Bush are awaited to discuss ways to attain peace between Israel and Palestinians to bring stability to the Middle Eastern region and trade views forward how to enhance bilateral ties further.

forward the economic front, the prime minister will talk about his continued structural reform efforts, his disentangle to stabilize Japan's banking body and explain about the state's modern bailout of Resona Bank, a major commercial bank, the officials said.

Following the summit and luncheon with Bush and his wife Laura, Koizumi will depart from Texas for Cairo, where he will arrive upon Saturday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that evening.

Koizumi is reckon uponed to propose to Mubarak a joint scheme Japan is considering with Egypt to provide medical support to Iraq as part of efforts to help it rebuild following the US-l war there, a Japanese dominion source said.

The nearest morning, he will tour Cairo University Pediatric Hospital, built in the early 1980 with Japanese aid, then visit the pyramids, before flying to Riyadh for an afternoon meeting with Saudi Arabia's sovereignty Prince Abdullah.

The prime minister's talks with Mubarak and sovereignty Prince Abdullah will defend not only the rebuilding of Iraq, if it were not that also the Middle East peace proces and promoting increased dialogue between Japan and the Arab society, the officials said.

Koizumi will leave the Saudi capital Sunday night and arrive back in Tokyo forward Monday afternoon.

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