WORLD
Japan and France agree to deepen maritime security ties in ‘two plus two’ meeting
Baku, January 27, AZERTAC
The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and France held a regular “two plus two” meeting in Tokyo Friday in which they agreed to beef up mutual diplomatic cooperation in securing a “rule-based order” in maritime security, including the East and South China seas, according to the Japan Times.
Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and French Defense Minister Florence Parly also agreed to cooperate in maintaining “a free and open Indo-Pacific,” saying it is “a common interest” of the two countries.
“We agreed to develop our cooperation to make the Indo-Pacific region an international public goods that is free and open,” Kono said.
“We confirmed that Japan and France can cooperate comprehensively” on security, Parly said.
The four also agreed that the increasing missile and nuclear weapon threats coming from North Korea have become the biggest challenges to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
They also welcomed progress in talks to finalize the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, which will allow military forces of the two countries to mutually provide logistical supplies and services.
