TOKYO, April 17 Kyodo (EDS: RECAS...

TOKYO, April 17 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING WITH BUSH DENIAL OF POSSIBLE ATTACK forward SYRIA, ADDING INFO)

U President George W Bush promised Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in succession Wednesday that the United States will work to allow Japan and southern Korea to take part in the planned multilateral talks upon North Korean security issues, Japanese officials said.

Bush also told Koizumi in their 20-minute telephone talks that Washington has no plan to attack Syria despite growing touch about a possible war in succession the Iraqi neighbor, the officials said.

Bush give vent toed his wish to meet Koizumi ''very soon'' they said, noting the pair countries will arrange for the Japanese premier's visit to the U before the annual clump of Eight summit in June to discuss North Korean issues and Iraq's reconstruction.

Foreign Ministry officials said Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi has started making arrangements to visit the U during the ''Golden Week'' holidays in early May to pave the wave for Koizumi's trip. She is also planning to visit Middle East nations like as Israel and Jordan, as well as the Palestinian region.

The officials said Koizumi told Bush that he ''has paid attention'' to remarks by way of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Washington has no plan to attack any land other than Iraq.

Bush was quot as telling Koizumi that Powell was right and the world does not have to worry about that.

Syria oppos the US-l attack in succession Iraq in the U.N. Security Council and Washington has lately stepped up criticism of its supportive stance for the dwindling Iraqi administration.

Koizumi was also quot as telling Bush that Japan will support the plan for the U China and North Korea to occupy the first round of their talks in succession nuclear and other issues related to the North nearest week in Beijing.

Koizumi also said Japan jumped to join in full talks with the three countries in the coming events and Bush was quoted as telling him the president believed it ''important'' to make known the tripartite talks to allow Japan and southward Korea to participate.

Koizumi asked for Bush's cooperation in settling the issue of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons progressive growth program, which the premier has said is a serious threat to Japan, and of its abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago.

The premier was quot as saying he believes international cooperation is important in rebuilding post-conflict Iraq and that the character of the United Nations should not be downplayed.

Bush did not elaborate forward the issue related to postwar Iraq and thanked Koizumi for supporting the US-l military action against Iraq, and also said he would like to proper with Koizumi in the near that will be the officials said.

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