(rpg, correcting designation of Japanese Minister)

New Delhi, May 14 (UNI) India and Japan are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and will hold a Strategic Economic Dialogue in July to sharpen focus on bilateral economic cooperation.

Visiting Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi held extensive discussions with Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon here which were followed by delegation-level talks on various aspects of bilateral relations.

Regional and international situation including Iran, South Asia, North Korea, and recent developments in Pakistan were also discussed.

Briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said there was ''broad agreement'' on the modalities of CEPA and some proposals were being actively processed.

These include the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project, a Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor for which a concept paper is being finalised, an India-Japan High-Level Energy Dialogue, Promotion of people-to-people contact, students exchange programmes and relaxation in tourist visas, cooperation in Science and Technology including bio-technology, nano-technology etc. and Nalanda University project.

Regional issues including the East Asia Economic Architecture and preparation for the Third East-Asia Summit in Singapore in November were also discussed.

The Foreign Secretary briefed the Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister on the developments in South Asia and SAARC, Japan had attended the 14th SAARC Summit held on April 3-4 in New Delhi as 'Observer'.

Mr Sarna said other issues including Iran, G-4 and UN Security Council reforms were also discussed.

The discussions also covered Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Sri Lanka.

On the quesion of G-4, of which both India and Japan are members alongwith Germany and Brazil, for UNSC reforms, boh countries agreed to continue to work closely togetther.

WTO and Doha Round and global issues like climate change also figured during the discussions.

The Foreign Secretary briefed Mr Yachi on his recent visit to the US and discussions with Bush Administration officials on the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Agreement.

Asked whether Mr Menon had spoken to the Japanese Minister about Tokyo's suppoort to the deal in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the spokesman said Japan is fully aware of India's concerns about energy and the negotiations between New Delhi and Washington.

''When the time is ripe, the NSG will take its decision,'' he added.

UNI