Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and U.S. President Barack Obama talked about how to deal with the climate change for 25 minutes in a phone call early Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Rudd said.

The spokeswoman said that Obama called from Washington to Canberra and the two leaders pledged closer cooperation on climate change during their phone conversation, the first such talks since the U.S. election in November last year.

"The two leaders discussed the global economy and need for coordinated international action in the present global recession, including through effective fiscal stimulus," she said.

Australian prime minister's office said both Rudd and Obama discussed the need for both countries to work closely together in preparing for the next United Nations conference on climate change to develop the post-Kyoto framework.

"The two leaders reconfirmed the closeness of the Australia-U.S. alliance and foreshadowed an even more active partnership into the future," the spokeswoman said.

The two leaders also talked about the importance of nuclear non- proliferation and the need to reinforce the policy internationally.

(Xinhua News Agency January 28, 2009)