Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, on the Inauguration of a New Cabinet Led by Mr. Mahmoud Abbas

April 30, 2003
Japanese

I would like to express my congratulations on the inauguration of a cabinet of the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority led by Mr. Mahmoud Abbas.
As I said to Prime Minister Abbas on April 29, I hope that under his leadership, efforts to end violence and to reform the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority will make progress. For this reason I expect Israel to cooperate with Prime Minister Abbas to create an environment enabling him to carry out reforms with ease.
The Government of Japan will support the efforts of Prime Minister Abbas for the peace process through its assistance package announced on April 29, whose pillars are cooperation in terms of humanitarian assistance, reform and confidence-building.

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