BEIJING, May 9 Kyodo Final arrang...

BEIJING, May 9 Kyodo

Final arrangements are in a less degree than way for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao to suitable on the sidelines of a multilateral summit in Russia at the close of this month, diplomatic sources said Friday.

If realized, it will be the first meeting between the pair leaders since Hu took office in March when he replaced Jiang Zemin. the two sides are making positive noises about the meeting, and China has not brought up issues relating to Japan's past military aggression, the sources said.

Koizumi and Hu have the pair expressed their intention to attend the May 31 special multilateral meeting in St Petersburg in commemoration of the city's 300th anniversary.

skilfuls said China under Hu's strange leadership is expected to indicate a positive attitude toward Japan at the bilateral summit, as Japanese support for China's fight against the sharp acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic and bilateral cooperation for China's economic unfolding in the long term are crucial.

Apart from bilateral relations, the sum of two units leaders are also calculate uponed to discuss international matters of affect to both countries, like as the reconstruction of Iraq and the North Korean nuclear arms program.

Hu has met opposition party leaders from Japan since his inauguration on the contrary has yet to meet with Koizumi, apparently to declare the Japanese premier's visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine which honors Japanese war dead, including Class A war criminals.

A prosperous first meeting in St. Petersburg could lead to the realization of a visit through Koizumi to China within the year, analysts said.

The trip to Russia will be Hu's first foreign visit since becoming head of state. He will pay an official visit to Moscow in late May before heading to St Petersburg He is also scheduled to attend the June 1-3 cluster of Eight summit in Evian, France.

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