JAPAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

April 2000

I. DIALOGUE WITH THE PATIES IN THE PEACE PROCESS

Japan is actively engaged in political dialogue with the parties concerned to support bilateral negotiations.

(a) The following prominent figures visited Japan:

Israel

• Foreign Minister Simon Peres (December 1992)
• Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (December 1994)
• Foreign Minister David Levy (February 1997)
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (August 1997)
• Deputy Foreign Minister Nawaf Masalha (October 1999)

Palestinian Authority and PLO

• Mr. Faisal Al-Husaini, Head of Palestinian Delegation to Negotiations in the Peace Process (January 1992)
• Mr. Hani Al-Hasan, Advisor to the Chairman of the PLO (October 1992)
• Dr. Sa'eb Erakat, Palestinian Chief Negotiator (May 1993)
• Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, Advisor to the Chairman of the PLO (May 1993)
• Mr. Ahmad Quriyat, in charge of the economy and commerce in the Palestinian Authority (August 1994)
• Mr. Yasser Arafat, the President of the Palestinian Authority and Chairman of the PLO (September 1996)
• Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, Minister of Planning and Economic Cooperation, the Palestinian Authority (November 1997)
• Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority and Chairman of the PLO, Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Sa'eb Erakat, Minister of Local Government (April 1999)
• Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority and Chairman of the PLO. Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Mr. Mohammed Al-Nashashibi, Minister of Finance and Dr. Sa'eb Erakat, Minister of Local Government (October1999)

Syria

• Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa (November 1992)
• Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa (April 1995)
• Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa (March 1999)

Lebanon

• Finance Minister Fouad Sinora (April 1996)
• President Rafic Hariri (June 1996)
• President Rafic Hariri (November 1997)

Egypt

• Foreign Minister Amre Moussa (January 1993)
• Foreign Minister Amre Moussa (February 1995)
• President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, Information Minister Safwat Al-Sharif, Foreign Minister Amre Moussa, Enterprise Minister Atef Ebeid, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, State Minister for International Cooperation Youssef Boutros-Ghali (March 1995).
• President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Kamal Al-Ganzouri, Electricity and Energy Minister Engineer Maher Abaza, Information Minister Safwat Al-Sharif, Foreign Minister Moussa, Public Enterprise Minister Atef Ebeid, Minister of State for Planning and International Cooperation Zafer Al-Beshry (April 1999)

Jordan

• Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdul Salam Al-Majal (December 1993).
• HRH Crown Prince Hassan (May 1995).
• HRH Prince Abdullah (October 1998)
• TM King Abdullah and Queen Rania, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning Rima khalaf Al-Hneidi, Foreign Minister Abdul Salam Al-Khatib (December 1999)

(b) Recent prominent visitors to the Middle East from Japan:

• Foreign Minister Koji Kakizawa visited Middle Eastern countries in May 1994 and attended the signing ceremony of the Gaza-Jericho Agreement in Cairo. He had discussions with the leaders and foreign ministers of each country and encouraged them to make progress in the peace process.
• Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Israel, the Gaza Strip and Jordan in September 1995.
• Foreign Minister Yohei Kono visited Washington D.C. in September 1999 for the signing ceremony of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda and Nobuo Matsunaga, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan participated in the Summit of Peacemakers, held in Sharm El-Sheikh in March 1996.
• Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda visited Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Interim Self-Government in August 1996. He encouraged peace efforts by each party and confirmed Japan's continued support for peace.
• Foreign Minister Yohei Kono, visited Israel in November 1996 to attend the funeral of Late Prime Minister Rabin of Israel.
• Mr. Nobuo Matsunaga, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan visited Egypt, Israel and the Gaza Strip in November 1996 to encourage further peace efforts by each party.
• Mr. Hiroshi Hirabayashi, Chief Cabinet Counciller on External Affairs visited Lebanon and Syria in March 1997 and conveyed letters from the Prime Minister of Japan.
• Mr. Shunji Yanai, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs visited Israel and Gaza Strip in April 1997 and conveyed letters from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Japan.
• Director-General Fumio Kyuma of Japan Defence Agency visited Israel and Syria in July 1997, and exchanged views with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Al-Assad.
• Mr. Muneo Suzuki, Director-General of Hokkaido Development Agency and Okinawa Development Agency, visited Egypt, Israel, and the Gaza Strip in December 1997 and had meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Arafat.
• Mr. Muneo Suzuki, Deputy Cabinet Secretary visited Egypt, Israel and the Gaza strip in December 1998.
• Mr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan attended the Ministerial Conference for the assistance to the Palestinians in Washington D.C. in November 1998, and announced Japan's assistance totaling $200 million in the following two years.
• Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura visited the Middle East region (Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank) in January 1999. He made a policy speech at the Palestinian Council, and made a four-point proposal on Southern Lebanon. He had extensive talks with the following leaders and eminent political figures.

  Egypt	President Mubarak, Foreign Minister Moussa and Secretary-General Meguid of the Arab League
  Lebanon	President Lahoud, Prime Minister Hoss
  Syria	President Al-Assad, Foreign Minister Al-Sharaa
  Jordan	HRH Crown Prince Hassan, Foreign Minister Khatib
  PA	President Arafat, Speaker Ahmad Qrei'a (Abu Ala') of the Palestinian Council.
  Israel	President Weizman, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Sharon, Defense Minister Mordechai, Chairman Barak of the Labor Party.

• Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs visited the Middle East (Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank) in March 1999, and had meeting with Prime Minister Ecevit of Turkey, King Abudullah of Jordan, President Weizman and President Arafat.
• Mr. Nobuo Noboru, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan visited Syria and Lebanon in December 1999 to prompt the resumption of the Syrian and the Palestinian Track. He had meetings with Foreign Minister Al-Sharaa in Syria, and President Lahoud and Prime Minister Hoss in Lebanon.
• Mr. Shozo Azuma, Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, participated in the Ministerial Steering Group Meeting held in Moscow in February 2000, and underlined the importance of officially resuming multilateral negotiations to foster the bilateral negotiations, and announced his will to take initiatives in the Working Groups, especially by chairing the plenary meeting of Environment WG in Tunis in May 2000.
• Mr. Shozo Azuma, Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, visited Israel and the West Bank and had discussion with Foreign Minister Levy, Deputy Foreign Minister Masalha and President Arafat.

II. JAPAN'S ECONOMIC ASSITANCE TO THE PARTIES CONCERNED IN THE PEACE PROCESS

1. Assistance to the Palestinians

(a)Prime Minister Obuchi pledged on November 20, 1998 in the meeting with President Clinton to provide up to $200 million for the assistance to the Palestinians for the year 1999-2000. Japan has disbursed approximately $135.8 million since January, 1999 until March, 2000, which amounts to $521 million since 1993 until today. Japan is one of the largest donors to the Palestinians along with the United States and the European Union.

(b) Priority Areas of Japan's Assistance

Japan's assistance has the following four priority areas:

(c) Channels of Assistance

Japan's assistance through the international organizations such as UNDP and UNRWA has amounted to approximately $343 million to date. Japan has implemented 22 projects of direct assistance to the Palestinians since its beginning in FY 1995, worth approximately $160.5 million in total.

(d) AHLC Tokyo Meeting

On 14-15 October 1999, Japan hosted in Tokyo the sixth meeting of Ad Hoc Liason Committee for the assistance to the Palestinians, with the participation of President Arafat of the Palestinian Authority, Deputy-Foreign Minister Masalha of Israel, and Foreign Minister Volebaek of Norway. The meeting called for efficient and concrete implementation of the assistance, and it was successful in giving political impetus for the progress of the Palestinian Track.

(e) Assistance to the Palestinian Elections

Japan dispatched a 77-personnel monitoring team (the largest from a single country) to observe the Palestinian elections.
An aid totaling US$800,000 was also provided for equipment for the elections (January 1996).

Japanese Election Observers for the Election of the Palestinian Legislative Council

(f) Technical Assistance

As Japan's technical assistance, 751 Palestinians has participated to date in the training programs offered by Japan since 1993. These courses addressed administrative capacity building and human development in the fields including environment and education.

for further information on Japan's Assistance for the Palestinians

(g) Examples of complete and ongoing projects

2. Assistance to other parties in the peace process

   Japan places importance on economic assistance to the Arab countries surrounding Israel (Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon) in order to underpin the Middle East peace process.

(a) EGYPT (the largest recipient of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the Middle East in a cumulative basis)

• A Project to construct a bridge over the Suez Canal is in progress in the joint undertaking between Japan and Egypt. The Bridge is expected to contribute to the development of the Sinai Peninsula, becoming a symbol of peace in the Middle East, connecting Asia with Africa.
• Grant aid: Approximately 6.6 billion yen (FY1998): The aid was extended mainly in the areas related to the basic human needs (BHN) such as agriculture, public health and sanitation, water supply and sewage, and environment.
• Technical cooperation: Provided in the past at such institutions as Cairo University Pediatric Hospital, the High Institute of Nursery, Cairo University (Environmental Monitoring Center). Trilateral Technical cooperation Program between Japan and Egypt toward the Palestinians is now under implementation.

(b) JORDAN (Japan is one of the leading donors to Jordan)

• Japan recognizes the important role Jordan plays in the peace and the development in the Middle East region, and based on such recognition, it has actively extended assistance to the country in a variety of areas such as infrastructure, development of human resources, etc. On the occasion of the visit by HM King Abdullah to Japan in December 1999 Japan announced a package of 400 million dollars in assistance in coming three years.
• Grant aid: Approximately 3.3 billion yen (FY1998): The grant was extended to the reconstruction project of Sheikh Hussein Bridge over the Jordan river, which is hoped to become a symbol of the Peace Process, and to other projects related the basic human needs such as water supply and medicine.
• Loan aid: Approximately 72 billion yen (FY1998): It was extended to the Tourism Sector Development Project, which would help enhance the country's ability to acquire foreign currencies. In addition, approximately 15 billion yen were extended as debt rescheduling measure in 1999.

Technical cooperation: Technical cooperation totaling1.4 billion yen was implemented in FY1988. Japan initiated "Industrial Development Policy Advice Project" through which Japan would send a specialist in the field of industrial policy and accept students in Japan to the purpose.

(c) SYRIA (Japan is one of the leading donors to Syria)

• Grant aid: Approximately 2.5 billion yen (FY1997) and 1.3 billion yen (FY1998).
• Loan aid: Approximately 46.2 billion yen (E/N signed in November 1995 for Al-zara Thermal Power Plant Project).
• Technical cooperation: Provided in the fields of industrial development and transition of the Syrian economy to a market oriented one. A seminar was held in the latter field in Tokyo (February-March 2000)

(d) LEBANON

Japanese Embassy staff returned to Beirut (February 6, 1995). Policy Consultation Program Designing Mission dispatched in May 1995 and Government Mission for Yen-Loan sent in June of that year.

• Loan aid: Approximately 13 billion yen (fiscal 1996 "Coastal pollution and Water Supply Project" and E/N signed in July 1996)
• Technical Cooperation: Japan is receiving students in such fields as administration and social infrastructure. In 1998, a development study on the traffic projects in Greater Tripoli is being carried out (FY1999).

for further information on Japan's Assistance to Jordan

III. PARTICIPATION IN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

Since February 1996, Self-Defense Force personnel have been dispatched as a human contribution to the UNDOF for deployment in the Golan Heights.

Foreign Minister Ikeda visited UNDOF headquarters

IV. JAPAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS

1. Working Groups of the Multilateral Negotiations

   Japan presides over the Environmental Working Group and serves as deputy on the Regional Economic Development Working Group (REDWG), Water Resources Working Group and Refugee Working Group; In particular, it actively contributes to the environment and tourism fields. In the Environment Working Group, Japan supported the creation of an environment code of conduct in order to promote regional cooperation for the protection of the environment in the Middle East (This was adopted as the "Bahrain Environmental Code of Conduct for the Middle East" [PDF] at the Bahrain meeting of the Environment Working Group in October 1994 and field guidelines are currently being formulated.) Japan has also taken the leadership in establishing the "Middle East and Mediterranean Travel and Tourism Association (MEMTTA)" to encourage regional cooperation in the field of tourism (established at the Amman Summit in October 1995).Examples of specific contributions:

*Upper Gulf of Aqaba Oil Spill Contingency Project (Environment Working Group).
*Contributions to the Desertification Initiative Project (Environment Working Group).
*Conference and Symposium on the Promotion of Tourism in the Middle East (Tourism Workshop of REDWG).
*Support for the establishment of the Middle East Desalination Research Center (Water Resources Working Group).

2. The Middle East and North Africa Economic Summit

   A great number of people from the governments and the private sectors participated in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Economic Summit, the first of which was held in 1994. They actively participated in discussions and maintained a high profile in order to support peace in the Middle East through business and economic activities. 20 government officials and approximately 50 businesspeople from Japan participated in the fourth MENA Economic Conference in 1997 (Doha Economic Conference).

3. Bank for Economic Cooperation and Development in the Middle East and North Africa

   Japan supported the establishment of this bank from the viewpoint that it would encourage a flow of private funds into the region and be conducive to support peace in the Middle East from an economic perspective. Japan has also participated in agreement negotiations. The Agreement establishing the bank was deposited at the U.N. in August 1996, and Japan signed and concluded this Agreement. (The Agreement has not become effective yet.) The Doha Declaration adopted at the Doha Economic Conference in November 1997 called on the Bank members for an expeditious conclusion of the Agreement so that the Bank begins its operation in 1998. Preparations are underway in Doha, headed by a group of experts, to set up the bank. Japan's share of assets is to be 9.5%.

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