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Press Conference by the Press Secretary 31 March 2000

1. The visit to the Middle East by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryozo Kato
2. The visit to Japan by Mr. Zeng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party
3. The 109th Meeting of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference
4. The upcoming Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-sessional Support Group (ISG) on Confidence Building Measures
5. Deputy Foreign Minister Kato's discussions with Iranian officials
6. Question on the timing of the likely visit to Japan by President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran
7. Reaction to the recent visit to South Asia by President William Jefferson Clinton of the United States of America

1. The visit to the Middle East by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryozo Kato

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have four announcements to start with.

   Firstly, on the visit to the Middle East of Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryozo Kato. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kato will visit the Islamic Republic of Iran, the State of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab Republic of Egypt from 2-10 April. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kato will meet Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohsen Aminzadeh and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Kharrazi in Iran, and exchange views on bilateral and international issues. He will meet Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs David Levy and Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Dany Yatom, in Israel, and President Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority in the Palestinian Authority. In Egypt, he will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Amre Mahmoud Moussa and Political Advisor to President Hosny Mubarak, Dr. El-Baz, and exchange views with them, focusing on issues related to the Middle East Peace Process.

   Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
   
2. The visit to Japan by Mr. Zeng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party

   Mr. Harada: Mr. Zeng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party, who is also a member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee and a candidate member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China, will visit Japan by the invitation of the Government of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 4-8 April. Mr. Zeng is one of the leaders of the younger generation of the Communist Party and is close to President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China. He will meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono and exchange views on the bilateral relationship. In addition, he will meet leaders of the LDP and other coalition parties.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
3. The 109th Meeting of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference

   Mr. Harada: The Government of Japan appreciates the decision on 29 March, on the occasion of the 109th Meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference, of nine member countries to increase their oil production from April, adopted taking account of the importance of stabilization of the oil market.

   The Government of Japan will closely monitor how this decision will affect the future oil market and hopes that oil producing countries will continue to take appropriate measures which will contribute to the stabilization of the oil market and the development of the world economy.

   Related Information (Atomic Energy)
   
4. The upcoming Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-sessional Support Group (ISG) on Confidence Building Measures

   Mr. Harada: My final announcement is on the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-sessional Support Group (ISG) on Confidence Building Measures.

   The Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-sessional Support Group (ISG) on Confidence Building Measures will be held in the Republic of Singapore on 5-6 April.

   The ARF-ISG Meeting is held at the working level of ARF member countries during the one-year inter-sessional period between annual ministerial meetings. The forthcoming one will be the second of its kind to be held twice in the inter-sessional period up to the next ministerial meeting due to take place at the end of July this year. Incidentally, the first ARF-ISG Meeting was held in Tokyo on 13-14 November last year.

   The ARF-ISG Meeting will be co-chaired by Japan and Singapore. The Meeting will be attended by the officials concerned with both foreign affairs and defense from twenty-two ARF members, including the European Union (EU).

   The Meeting will examine the ARF's future direction, including confidence-building measures in the ARF process and efforts for preventative diplomacy, and discuss developments in the regional security situation since the first meeting of last year. The outcome of this meeting will be reported to the ARF Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) to be held in Bangkok in the middle of May this year.

   Related Information (Japan-ASEAN Relations)
   
5. Deputy Foreign Minister Kato's discussions with Iranian officials

   Q: On Mr. Kato's visit to Iran, how long will he stay?

   Mr. Harada: I will share with you the breakdown of the itinerary. From 2-5 April he will be in Iran, from 5-7 April in Israel, and from 7-10 April in Egypt.

   Related Information (Japan-Iran Relations)
   
6. Question on the timing of the likely visit to Japan by President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran

   Q: What is the main issue that Mr. Kato will discuss with the Iranian officials?

   Mr. Harada: We are now consulting with the Iranian side on the agenda, but since we are expecting the visit to Japan of President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the end of this year, I think they will exchange views on bilateral issues, bearing in mind the possibility of his visit to Japan.

   Q: Have any dates for Mr. Khatami's visit to Japan been set?

   Mr. Harada: We are consulting with the Iranian side. However, we have not yet come to any agreement on the concrete date of this visit.

   Related Information (Japan-Iran Relations)
   
7. Reaction to the recent visit to South Asia by President William Jefferson Clinton of the United States of America

   Q: What do you think of President Clinton's recent visit to South Asia? Do you see any American tilt toward India? Do you think improved relations between India and the USA can reinforce stability in South Asia?

   Mr. Harada: This is a matter of diplomacy between two countries, so from the perspective of a third country I will have to limit myself to rather general comments. We think that the visit to South Asia by President William Jefferson Clinton of the United States of America has significantly contributed to strengthening the relationship of the United States of America with that region, which we welcome.

   As far as the relations between the United States and the Republic of India are concerned, during President Clinton's visit, a joint statement and other papers were issued from which we can sense that the leaders of the two countries resolved to create a closer and qualitative new relationship between the United States and India.

   The paper, entitled "Institutional Dialogue Between India and the United States," demonstrates that the leaders of the two countries agreed to intensify and institutionalize the dialogue between the two countries. I think President Clinton's visit to India has founded a basis for strengthening and promoting the bilateral relationship with India.

   With regard to the last part of your question, we believe that stable and friendly relations between the United States and Southwest Asia would contribute greatly not only to the peace and stability in Southwest Asia but to the Asian region as a whole.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)