Russian, Japanese Foreign Ministers Speak About Korean Peninsula Via Phone

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov spoke with his Japanese counterpart Yoriko Kawaguchi over the phone on Friday and discussed the situation in the Korean Peninsula.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that both Foreign Ministers welcomed the forthcoming meeting between North Korea, China and the USA that would take place next week in Beijing and expressed the hope to render assistance in such events.

The Foreign Ministers stressed that it was important to settle issues in the Korean Peninsula in political and diplomatic way.

Moreover, the Russian and the Foreign Ministers exchanged their views on the situation in Iraq and the UN's role in post-war Iraq as well as touched upon situation in the Middle East in light of the Iraqi crisis.