Ink-redible moment for Koizumi, Wen

Kuala Lumpur - The pen probably isn't mightier than the sword -- and sometimes it runs out of ink as well.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi got a helping hand Wednesday from an unlikely source, rival Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, when his pen didn't work as the two leaders signed the inaugural declaration of the East Asia Summit.

The pair traded barbs all week over Koizumi's controversial visits to a Tokyo war shrine -- but seated next to each other at the signing ceremony, Wen graciously passed Koizumi a pen from Malaysia's Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The show of apparent friendliness broke up the tension in the room, drawing cheers and laughs from reporters which Koizumi acknowledged by waving the pen in the air. The two leaders later shook hands.

But it apparently wasn't the "write stuff" to end their bitter international dispute.

"Everybody saw clearly what happened at the meeting," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. "China's stance towards historical issues between China and Japan has not changed." -- Reuters

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