June 2nd 2002
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolwowitz Saturday confirmed the importance of solving the conflict between India and Pakistan through diplomatic efforts.
They met on the fringe of a three-day meeting here of Asian defense ministers hosted by Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Nakatani, director-general of the Defense Agency, expressed his hope for U.S. mediation to help ease the escalating tension between India and Pakistan.
Wolfowitz said the international community needs to take every possible step to resolve the problem, underscoring the importance of diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from developing into a nuclear war between the two neighboring rivals.
