RAMALLAH, November 29, 2015 (WAFA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Of Japan, Fumio Kishida, affirmed his country's continuous support to efforts exerted toward the establishment of a future independent and sustainable Palestinian state, while calling on Israel to completely halt all settlement activities, said a press release issued by the Representative Office of Japan to the PA.
On the occasion of the 'International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People', which was proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on November 2013, Kishida expressed his sincere hope for the realization of peace in the Middle East wherein a future independent Palestinian State and Israel can co-exist in peace and security.
“Japan understands the Palestinians’ aspiration for state-building and supports a two-state solution through negotiations.”
The minister asserted that in order to end the chain of hatred in the region, including in Jerusalem, and search for a breakthrough, it is urgently required that both parties act in earnest to resolve the issue and regain trust.
“In addition to political efforts, economic and social development in Palestine is required more than ever to break the current stalemate. In particular, the seamless efforts of the international community to support early reconstruction and development in Gaza are urgently needed,” said Kishida.
“Israeli settlement activities are a violation of international law which leads to deepened confrontation. Japan has repeatedly called upon Israel to completely freeze settlement activities.”
The Japanese minister said that Japan has launched the “Conference on Cooperation among East Asian countries for the Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)” as part of its efforts toward the realization of a Palestinian state.
The aforementioned conference aims at utilizing the knowledge and experience of economic development in East Asian countries, said the release.
He noted that, Japan has made assistance to the people of Palestine focusing on humanitarian aid, assistance for state-building and reform, confidence building, and enhancing economic self-sustainability.
“Japan has extended assistance of approximately 1.6 billion US dollars in
total since 1993. Furthermore, I
recently announced Japan’s new assistance of 12 million US dollars at the expanded
Quartet representative meeting held on the margins of the United Nations
General Assembly.”
Regarding the Jericho Agro Industrial Park, a flagship project of the “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” Initiative, the minister said that the first company has already started its operations. “I expect more companies start full scale operations in the Park, and create many employment opportunities and facilitate economic development in the region.”
“Japan will remain actively engaged both politically and economically to support progress in the peace process in cooperation with the international community,” concluded the release.
T.R.
