ADDIS ABABA, April 30: Visiting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Sunday said he backed plans for an expanded United Nations Security Council, adding that he would present his country’s position at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Ethiopia.

The AU has been calling for the council to be expanded to 26 seats, with six new permanent veto-wielding seats, two of which would be reserved for Africa, and five new non-permanent seats, of which two would also be set aside for Africa.

“I had very candid exchanges with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on regional issues as well as the reform of the AU and others,” Koizumi told reporters here on the first leg of his three-nation tour to African and Europe.

“I shall tomorrow have the pleasure of expressing Japan’s position at the headquarters of the African Union, Japan wishes to provide cooperation to Africa so that the African countries can stand on their own and develop with ownership,” he said.

His host, Meles, said his country supported the African and Japanese position on the UN reforms.

“We support the African Union’s position ...” Meles said. “We support the request of Japan to have a seat in the Security Council because we don’t think it makes sense for the second largest economy in the world not to have a seat in the reformed Security Council,” he added.

Koizumi’s week-long trip comes at a time of strained relations between Japan and China, which has been seeking to increase its own influence in the developing world.

Wooing Africa is a key part of Tokyo’s strategy to win a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council — a top Japanese foreign policy goal that China has strongly opposed.

During his first visit to the Horn of Africa nation, Koizumi will also hold talks with AU commission chief Alpha Oumar Konare in a bid to reconcile his country’s position with those of the 53-member bloc on the UN reforms.—AFP