Japan tries to enlist Laos into S. China Sea dispute

Visiting Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida (left) talks to Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulithduring their meeting at the Government House in Vientiane May 5. (EPA photo)

Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on Thursday and conveyed Tokyo's desire to work closely with Laos to reduce tensions over the South China Sea issue, Japanese officials said.

Meeting in Vientianne, Mr Thongloun told Mr Kishida that he will make efforts to resolve the issue, the officials said. Laos holds the rotating presidency of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.

Mr Thongloun was elected the prime minister of Laos last month.

China, which is embroiled in territorial rows in the South China Sea with Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam and the Philippines, has pressed forward with rapid and massive land reclamation to assert its sovereignty over the waters.

The Lao prime minister is expected to visit Japan to join an outreach session of the Group of Seven summit to be held on May 26-27 in the central Japan prefecture of Mie.

Leaders from six Asian countries -- Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam ---- as well as the Sub-Saharan African country of Chad will join the G-7 leaders for talks on Asian and African development at the summit.

(Source : bangkokpost.com)

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