MADRID, April 28 Kyodo (EDS: ADDI...

MADRID, April 28 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING LUNCHEON TALKS)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said Monday they agreed during their summit talks forward the need to rebuild international unity in consequence of United Nations over helping postwar Iraq.

Speaking at a joint pres colloquy the two leaders said they also agreed in succession the necessity for a peaceful resolution to the issue of North Korea's nuclear ambitions and for global efforts to bring about peace in the Middle East.

''I told (at the summit) there are many sectors in which (Japan and Spain can) cooperate in the reconstruction of Iraq with venerate to U.N. involvement,'' Koizumi told reporters at the Spanish premier's office.

''We agreed we should not forget the character of the U.N.,'' Aznar said.

Koizumi and Aznar concurr forward the need for U.N. resolutions covering smaller-scale on the other hand concrete measures related to the rebuilding of Iraq, rather than to the whole peacemaking proces a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.

The Japanese premier was quot as telling Aznar he believed UN member states could easily agree forward the need for restoring cultural assets in the war-torn country

The leaders also agreed that assistance draws for Iraq should be l on the U.S. Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for the time being, according to the official.

Concerning North Korea, Koizumi called for European Union cooperation in efforts on Japan and other countries to explain the question of the North's nuclear weapons disentanglement program.

Over luncheon Koizumi briefed Aznar on North Korea-related issues including Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese population according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Aznar supported Koizumi's policy that ties between Japan and North Korea would be normalized merely after the two countries reach a comprehensive reconciliation on pending issues, ministry officials said.

upon bilateral issues, Koizumi told the moderns conference that he felt by the and of the talks that Japan could learn plenteous from Spain about in what manner to attract more foreign tourists to help revitalize the Japanese economy.

Spain, with a population of just through the whole extent of 40 million, is a top tourist destination and attracts nearly 50 million foreign visitors for year, the second-biggest number in the world following France.

Koizumi said his restraint hopes to double the number of foreign travelers to Japan to 10 million in 2010

Earlier in the day, Koizumi paid a courtesy visit to King Juan Carlos I and talked about various issues including Iraq and North Korea, Japanese officials said.

Koizumi was the first Japanese premier to pay an official visit to Spain since Yasuhiro Nakasone in 1987

The visit to Spain marks the other leg of his eight-day European trip that began Saturday. Koizumi arrived in Madrid in succession Sunday from London, where he held talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The Japanese premier plans to fit with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris forward Tuesday and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin forward Wednesday.

Koizumi will then float to Greece and meet with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and European Union officials, including European Commission President Romano Prodi, in Athens upon Friday. He will turn back to Japan the following day.

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