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| China-Japan-Koreas | |
| Japan hails "toilet diplomacy" with China | |
| 2006-07-29 | |
| Diplomats hailed the "toilet diplomacy" of an impromptu chat in the washroom between the foreign ministers of feuding neighbours China and Japan at security talks here. Look for the Ex-Lax on those little trays with the Perrier The two regional powers, whose relations are strained by historical enmities and territorial disputes, have held only a handful of high-level meetings in recent times. Sounds like relations are a bit constipated So when China's Li Zhaoxing popped into the toilet during Wednesday's talks in the Malaysian capital, and found that Japan's Taro Aso happened to be inside, the two seized the chance for a discussion. "It would have been nice of you to turn the exhaust fan on." Journalists who had been pursuing Li through the hallways were mystified by the long visit to the facilities as they waited at the door for 20 minutes, unaware that Aso was also inside. I bet they're smoking something. You want to go in there? Not me. When Aso returned to the meeting of ministers from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea, he informed his counterparts of the encounter. "I just met Li in the toilet and we had a good discussion," Aso said ... Don't squeeze the Charmin! ... to the other ministers when he returned, a Japanese foreign diplomat told AFP, adding that their contingent was referring to the incident as "toilet diplomacy".
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| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #1 I hope hands were all they shook with each other in that john. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-07-29 11:21 |