BRATISLAVA, June 6, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovakia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda expressed support to Japan, which was hit by a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in March, at the meeting of foreign ministers of Visegrad Group countries and Japan on Monday. He also appreciated Japan’s assistance over the past years, which he says has contributed to Slovakia’s economic growth.
V4 foreign affairs ministers expressed solidarity with Japan and underscored their effort to help with reconstruction of territories struck by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11 and subsequent accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Monday, June 6, in Budapest. “They also showed their confidence in Japan’s ability to recover from this catastrophe,” the press department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry told SITA news agency.
Japanese partner Takeaki Matsumoto explained that Japan continues in its effort to stabilize the situation in the Fukushima nuclear power plant, provides information to the international community with maximum transparency and shares experience from the accident.
The ministers also discussed new challenges like climate change, energy security, nuclear safety, trade and investments, science and technologies, innovations, cooperation in the area of support to small and medium-sized companies, tourism and development cooperation. The ministers acclaimed the fact that Japan and V4 member states jointly contribute to the recovery and stability in Afghanistan within the cooperation of Japan and NATO.
The ministers also discussed conclusions of the EU-Japan summit from May 28, cooperation possibilities among V4, Japan and the Eastern Partnership countries, nuclear safety and other global matters.
ASEM clusters 16 Asian countries, 27 EU states, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Commission.
SITA