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Rudd seeks to solve whaling row with Japan diplomatically+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, June 11_(Kyodo) _ Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Wednesday his government hopes to resolve diplomatically the dispute over Japan's whaling activities but also stressed that Canberra's opposition remains unchanged and that it reserves the right to take legal action. Rudd, speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, also expressed readiness to meet with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, in the future. The premier is unable to meet the exiled leader, currently visiting Australia, due to his own trip to Japan and Indonesia. Asked if Australia has abandoned its initial plan to take the whaling issue to the international court, Rudd said, "Into the future, of course, let's hope that diplomacy works. But you are wrong to characterize our policy as having been changed." "We simply believe that the best way forward right now is to seek to resolve this matter diplomatically and that's where efforts at present lie," said Rudd, whose administration is strongly against Japan's so-called research whaling activities. Meanwhile, the prime minister once again dismissed criticisms that he appeared to be favoring China over Japan, and noted the frequent visits by senior ministers to Japan since December just after his administration took office. "I can't point to any other country, frankly, which has had such high-level ministerial visits since Day One," Rudd, in Tokyo for the first time as premier, said in response to a Japanese reporter's question. "How many Japanese government ministers have been able to visit Australia (during the same period)?...None." Rudd said he plans to discuss with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in talks on Thursday "how we take our relationship to the next stage and make it even stronger," especially in furthering cooperation in financial and other services sectors. The two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement to strengthen strategic relations and seek new areas of cooperation such as the environment, disarmament and nonproliferation, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said earlier. Rudd, who arrived Sunday for a five-day visit, met Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Wednesday morning. He said he invited the imperial couple, as well as Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, to visit Australia. Copyright ? 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc. |