Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Donald Johnston, head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, agreed Monday on the importance of concluding an investment liberalization agreement, especially given the current economic turbulence, ministry officials said.OECD member states are negotiating on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, but the talks are deadlocked partly because of sharp differences among some countries.The OECD seeks to establish the accord to promote liberalization and protection of wide-ranging investments made by its member economies.Komura said an investment rule is crucial and Japan will promote efforts to conclude the agreement by helping resolve differences among the member countries, the officials said.Differences troubling the OECD member states include the gap on the extent of liberalization exemptions under the planned agreement.