Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso held a bilateral meeting in Sydney following inaugural security talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earlier in the day.

In a statement, Downer and Aso said that the partnership between their countries was stronger than ever, especially since their joint commitment to deploy troops to southern Iraq.

"In that context, they decided to increase further their collaboration in relation to counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation," the statement said.

"They decided that Australia and Japan would strengthen their bilateral strategic dialogue and identify new areas to broaden the existing partnership on security matters."

Downer earlier refused to comment on how long the Japanese and Australian governments would keep their troops in Iraq.

In the joint statement, Downer and Aso said they planned to hold annual talks at the ministerial level on security as an immediate step towards broadening their partnership.

"Australia and Japan have a proud record of achievement in working together to improve regional and international security in areas including in East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq and on such issues as non-proliferation, the fight against terrorism, natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami and the threat of avian influenza," they said.

Aso also held separate talks with Rice during which they affirmed the two countries' commitment to seal the agreement on the relocation plan of US troops in Japan by the end of the month, Jiji Press said.

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