Courtesy Call on Mr. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan, by H.E. Mr. Houshyar Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq

On Tuesday, May 29 from 9:15 a.m. for about 20 minutes, H.E. Mr. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan, received a courtesy call from H.E. Mr. Houshyar Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, who is currently paying working visit to Japan upon the invitation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. Prime Minister Noda stated that Japan would like to further strengthen the business relationship between Japan and Iraq as a follow-up to the visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, in November of 2011. He also commented that he expressed Minister Zebari would play a leadership in improving the business environment and security situation in Iraq.
   
   
2. In response, Minister Zebari stated that while the joint statement issued by Prime Minister Noda and Prime Minister al-Maliki on the occasion of Prime Minister al-Maliki’s visit to Japan in November 2011 was an ambitious one, Iraq will make efforts to achieve its implementation. Minister Zebari also noted that it was Iraq’s goal to strengthen friendly relations with Japan, and that Iraq was grateful for Japan’s continuous support. He added that Iraq would work hard to remove impediments regarding investment to Iraq, and that he hoped that Japan would revise its travel advice and warning on Iraq.
   
   
3. Both Ministers also exchanged opinions regarding topics such as Iranian nuclear issues.