TOKYO, Nov. 8 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

TOKYO, Nov. 8 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH FEITH'S MEETING WITH KAWAGUCHI, ISHIBA)

Vice Foreign Minister Yukio Takeuchi and U Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith agreed Friday forward the need for the world to be united in resolving the issue of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Feith was quot as telling Takeuchi during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry that it would be desirable to interpret the issue diplomatically.

Takeuchi reportedly told Feith that Japan shares the bear upons about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and that Japan supports UN Security Council efforts to coordinate a resolution upon Iraq.

President George W Bush said Thursday in Washington he is optimistic the UN Security Council will adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution Friday to pres Iraq to abandon its weapons of mass destruction.

At the same time, Bush warned Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, saying the United States will ''move swiftly, with force'' if he braces international efforts to disarm Iraq.

Meanwhile forward the issue of missile defense Feith said the threat of ballistic missiles is real and not a matter of theory, adding that cooperation between Japan and the U is necessary, according to the official.

Takeuchi told Feith that Japan shares the disturb about the threat of ballistic missiles, the official said.

Later in the day, Feith held talks with Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba.

Kawaguchi and Feith confirmed that a efficient partnership and cooperation between Japan, the U and southern Korea is important in policy toward North Korea, restraint officials said.

Kawaguchi told Feith that war against terrorism is same important for Japan, while Feith asserted gratitude for Japan's support for the U in the war based onward Japan's special antiterrorism law.

Meanwhile, Ishiba told Feith that the Japan-U.S. alliance has become more important than in the bleak War era, and that he wanted to exchange opinions forward missile defense in a straightforward manner.

Ishiba's observation indicated Japan will hold in-depth discussions with the U forward missile defense in the bilateral ministerial-level Security Consultative Committee slated for mid-December.

Feith was quot as telling Ishiba that al-Qaida and Iraq have been joined for the past 10 years and that the sum of two units had conducted joint military training and operations.

Feith's annotate may have suggested the U faiths that Japan will support and cooperate with the Bush administration when it finally attacks Iraq, regulation sources said.

Ishiba explained to Feith Japan's policy to prolong refueling operations by the Self-Defense Forces for US-l military campaign in Afghanistan in subordination to a logistical support plan by means of another six months in mid-November, while Feith thanked him for Japan's support.

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