SYDNEY-Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, agreed Friday to work together on climate change, bearing in mind a key international meeting Bali will host in December, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said.Meeting a day after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum ministerial talks wrapped up Thursday, Machimura explained Japan's continued efforts with other countries to denuclearize North Korea, and Wirajuda expressed hope for progress on the nuclear talks as well as the issue of North Korea's abduction of Japanese nationals, the officials said.On climate change, Wirajuda welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's initiative as an important proposal toward COP13 in Bali, the officials said.COP13 refers to the 13th session of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, a U.N. framework tasked to curb global warming.Abe unveiled this year his "Cool Earth 50" initiative aimed at halving global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from current levels, as the international community stepped up efforts to find ways to address climate change.Interest in creating a new, effective climate change framework is high for after the current pact, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, expires in 2012. Critics say the Kyoto pact is ineffective because it fails to cover India and China, major greenhouse gas emitters,and the US,another major emitter,has refused to ratify it.On North Korea, Machimura told Wirajuda that Japan will continue efforts through six-party negotiations to work with other countries to denuclearize North Korea, the officials said.Expressing hope for progress on the nuclear and abduction issues, Wirajuda stressed the importance of peace and stability in Northeast Asia for the entire Asia-Pacific region.Japan and North Korea remain at odds over the number and fate of Japanese citizens North Korean agents abducted in the 1970s and 1980s.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RGDN2G0&show_article=1&catnum=0As in the days of Noah...