Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he and his Polish counterpart, Marek Belka, agreed Friday to continue supporting Iraq's reconstruction and promoting U.N. reform

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he and his Polish counterpart, Marek Belka, agreed Friday to continue supporting Iraq's reconstruction and promoting U.N. reform. But the two leaders did not go into the details during a joint press appearance after their hourlong meeting at Koizumi's office. "I express my heartfelt respect to hear that Poland has dispatched troops to support Iraq's nation-building," Koizumi said. On U.N. reform, Koizumi said, "Poland and Japan have a common view," referring to their call for expanding the number of permanent and nonpermanent members in the Security Council and Poland's support for Japan's bid to be a permanent member. Koizumi also said he and Belka agreed to continue to promote Japanese business investment in Poland and to consider cooperation on helping Ukraine develop its democracy and market economy. Belka, who will stay here through Saturday, said he came to seek Japan's advice on how Poland can better assist the Asian countries devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunamis. Belka plans to stop at Sri Lanka before returning home.