Japan, UK agree to cooperate in humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and British Foreign Secretary William Hague agreed to work closely on humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees who have fled their country, which remains mired in a civil war, Kyodo News Agency reported from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Friday. "Japan intends to redouble its efforts at assistance to refugees and surrounding countries," Kishida was quoted as telling his British counterpart in a telephone conversation during his visit to Argentina, adding that Tokyo hopes to coordinate moves with London. Hague said Britain, which has decided against participating in a possible US-led military attack on Syria over its suspected use of chemical weapons, puts a particular emphasis on working closely with Japan in humanitarian assistance, according to Japanese officials. Hague also told Kishida that Britain seeks a consensus on humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees at the two-day summit of leaders from Group of 20 major economies that opened in Russia on Thursday, the report added.