Visiting U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan called on Thursday in Tokyo for international attention to find solutions for the Iranian nuclear issue.

The Iranian nuclear issue "is a crisis in the sense we need to work very actively," Annan told reporters at the Japan National Press Club. He urged the international community to find solutions and said that discussions are still going on.

Earlier in the day, Annan said in a speech at Tokyo University that he hoped that "the current discussions in the Security Council will give new momentum to the quest for a negotiated solution" for the issue.

"There is also a need to lower the temperature, and refrain from actions and rhetoric that could further inflame the situation, " Annan said.

Annan also called for a negotiated solution to solve the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue.

Iran said Wednesday that it would reject a deal with the European Union, which plans to offer incentives in exchange for Iran's halting uranium enrichment. Tehran also said that it would offer economic incentives to the European Union in return for its recognition of Iran's right to enriching uranium for peaceful purposes.

At the press club, Annan also said that leaders of the East Asian countries should make gestures to ease the strained relations.

"I'm sure the leaders (of the three countries) will find the wisdom and the means to put whatever difficulties that exists today behind them. But it will not go away by itself," the U.N. chief said.

"The countries in the region know each other well. They have been observing each other, they share certain history and they are all aware of what irritates or worries or provokes the other side, " he said.

The relations between Japan and China, Japan and South Korea have been strained in recent years mainly due to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 top war criminals are honored along with other war dead.

Without elaborating on what the gestures are, Annan said that he hoped that Japan, China and South Korea can be on better terms.

The world body chief also touched on U.N. reform, the war in Iraq and other issues.

When asked about the next U.N chief candidates, Annan, whose terms expires at the end of this year, said that his successor should be selected from Asia, in agreement of an informal geographic rotation system of selecting a leader for the global body.

Annan arrived in Japan on Tuesday after visiting South Korea. He will travel to China and Vietnam after leaving Japan.

Source: Xinhua