LOC18:37
15:37 GMT
TOKYO, June 15 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari will make a
six-day visit to Japan from Wednesday to meet Japanese Prime Minister Taro
Aso, the Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
Zebari is also scheduled to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart
Hirofumi Nakasone and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, the ministry said in a
statement.
The visit is expected to enhance strategic partnership between the two
countries from the long-term perspective, the ministry added.
Japan terminated its airlift mission in Iraq last December, ending the
country's five-year presence in the region. The air force began transport
flights in March 2004 between Kuwait and the southern Iraqi destinations,
mainly delivered supplies to Japan's non-combat ground troops involved in a
reconstruction mission there, which pulled out from Iraq in July 2006. After
the ground troops' withdrawal, the air force expanded its airlift support in
transporting UN personnel and supplies elsewhere in Iraq. (end)
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