Visit to Japan by Mr. Abu Ala, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council

March 25, 2002

Mr. Abu Ala, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), will visit Japan from March 27 (Wed.) to 30 (Sat.) at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his stay in Japan, Mr. Abu Ala will meet high-ranking officials of the Government of Japan and relevant figures of the Diet to explain to them the current situation in the Palestinian Territories and the position of the Palestinians on the peace in the Middle East. Mr. Abu Ala will carry a letter from Mr. Yassar Arafat, President of Palestinian Authority and Chairman of the PLO, to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Mr. Abu Ala has been intermittently in contact with the Israeli side, including Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, at a time when a vicious cycle of violence has been intensifying in the region. Japan has decided to invite the Speaker, from the viewpoint that Japan can contribute to the Middle East peace process through supporting such moves by those promoting peace. Mr. Abu Ala's visit will be the one by the highest-ranking Palestinian figure since the outbreak of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians at the end of September 2000.

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