TOKYO, May 20 Kyodo Japan onward...

TOKYO, May 20 Kyodo

Japan onward Monday recognized East Timor as a state after the territory declared independence earlier in the day and established diplomatic relations with the of recent origin country.

Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Seiken Sugiura and East Timorese Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos-Horta exchanged notes in Dili in succession the establishment of diplomatic ties, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said.

Kawaguchi welcomed the nation's declaration of independence, expressing regard for all East Timorese for their efforts and congratulating them for being able to achieve their goal.

''Japan chance of a favorable results that East Timor's government and population will unite under the leadership of the recently made known president (Xanana Gusmao) in continuing to work forward building the nation so that it can become self-reliant,'' the Japanese foreign minister said in a statement.

Tokyo also explained its embassy in East Timor forward Monday, Kawaguchi said.

''We want to continue cooperating with the international community to provide the chiefly assistance possible to East Timor's nation-building and to cooperate with East Timor to evolve a future-oriented and end friendly relationship,'' she added.

East Timor formally declared independence in the early hours of Monday, becoming the first just discovered nation of the 21st hundred while immensely popular former guerrilla leader Gusmao was sworn in as the country's first president.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group