US hosts first ever trilateral meeting with Japan, India

The United States hosted late on Monday the first ever trilateral meeting with Japan and India, the group agreed to meet again in Tokyo in 2012. "The United States hosted Japan and India for the first ever trilateral dialogue to exchange views on a wide range of regional and global issues of mutual interest", said the State Department in a statement. The discussion was co-chaired by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell. The State Department noted that "these discussions mark the beginning of a series of consultations among our three governments, who share common values and interests across the Asia-Pacific and the globe". "All sides welcomed the frank and comprehensive nature of the discussions and agreed the talks help advance their shared values and interests. The group agreed to meet again in Tokyo in 2012 to continue their deliberations", concluded the statement. In remarks after their bilateral meeting in Washington yesterday, both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba pledged to deepen their strategic partnership with India.