31.   These include press freedom, democracy, cooperation over Mostar in southern Bosnia-Hercegovina and improving conditions for the return of Serb refugees.

32.   They have agreed to improve their cooperation over matters concerning non-tariff barriers, notably through working on customs procedures, standards and regulations.

33.   Until recently the United States has said that it is happy with Iranian cooperation over Afghanistan.

34.   Meanwhile Japanese Foreign Minister Koji Kakizawa called Tuesday for closer regional cooperation over the nuclear standoff as he prepared for visits to South Korea and possibly China.

35.   Singapore has been portrayed as an economic rival to Hong Kong in the run-up to the handover to China, but Lee stressed cooperation over competition.

36.   The meeting comes after a rapid thaw in frosty relations which have hampered Sino-British cooperation over Hong Kong for the last three years.