Talks between Mr. Kenjiro Monji, Japanese Ambassador to Iraq, and H.E. Jalal Talabani, President of Iraq

April 3, 2007

On March 31 (Sat), Mr. Kenjiro Monji, Ambassador to Iraq, presented his credentials to H.E. Jalal Talabani, President of Iraq, and had a meeting with him.  The gist is as follows.

1.  President Talabani stated as follows:

  The Iraqi people will never forget that Japan provided human resources, economic and political assistance to Iraq in a difficult period.  I should like to express appreciation for such assistance given by Japan to Iraq, and hope that we can further develop friendly relations between our countries.
 

2.  Mr. Monji, Ambassador to Iraq, stated as follows:

  On March 30 (Sat), the Government of Japan made a cabinet decision to extend the Special Measures Law on Iraq for two years and submitted it to the Diet.  The law will be deliberated in the Diet.  The Government of Japan will continue to provide the air-lift support by the Japan Air Self Defense Force for the reconstruction of Iraq.
 

3.  In response, President Talabani expressed his appreciation for the decision by the Government of Japan.
 

4.  President Talabani made a comment on the Iraqi situation as follows:

  The Government of Iraq is now working intensively on implementing two campaigns for anti-terrorism and national reconciliation.  Recently there has been some progress in these anti-terrorist operations.  A number of terrorists including leaders of terrorist groups have been charged, arrested, detained, and killed in these anti-terrorist operations.  Counter-terrorist operations have also been successful in that several threats such as vehicle-borne explosives have been prevented from happening.  Until now, there was a vicious circle in which Sunni terrorists made attacks in a Shiite region, the Mahdi army took revenge in a Sunni region in response.  Meanwhile, recently, the Mahdi army has restrained its actions and the vicious circle is in the process of ceasing.  As to reconciliation, several armed groups have contacted me (President Talabani) and Mr. Nuri al-Maliki, Prime Minister of Iraq.  We have been negotiating on the groups’ participation in the political process.  

Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)