Trio share limelight on APEC stage

The "mutual sense of values" shared by Australia, the US and Japan were reinforced in the first trilateral summit between the countries' leaders. Held during September's Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum in Sydney, Prime Minister John Howard, President George W Bush and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed regional and global issues. These included cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the denuclearisation of North Korea and Japan's involvement in the war against terror. Mr Abe and Mr Howard also released a joint statement expressing co-operation to improve energy efficiency, preserve forests and support the peaceful use of nuclear energy to ease global warming. The two leaders further agreed to bolster security ties and recognise the importance of Japan's agricultural sector in continuing negotiations on the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement. Mr Abe, who resigned within days of the APEC forum after mounting domestic political pressure, said summit leaders had praised Japan's contribution to the war against terror and pledged to continue the aid operations of the Japanese Self-Defence Force.