Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the outcome of the Arab Summit Meeting in Beirut and the worsening situation in the region

March 29, 2002

Japan welcomes that the Arab Summit Meeting which concluded of 28th of March adopted the Arab Peace Initiative based on the initiative expressed by H. R. H. Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Japan wishes to see concrete developments be made, with this initiative as a trigger, for calming down the Palestinian situation and for achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East in an earliest possible day. Japan expresses its willingness to make possible contribution for that purpose.
In spite of such constructive development for peace in the region, following the terrorist suicide attack by the Palestinian extremists on 27th of March, Japan is concerned to witness that the Israeli Defense Force is carrying out incursion into Ramallah, and that the Israeli government states that it expands its military operations if necessary. Japan is concerned with these actions taken by the Israeli government, and call upon maximum level of self-restraints.

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