Press Conference by Press Sec. 31 January 1995

Border tension between the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Ecuador
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Terusuke Terada: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Being greatly concerned about the current tension between the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Ecuador over their border, which runs counter to the desirable political and economic situation now seen in Latin America, Japan strongly hopes that the situation will calm down and the problem be settled peacefully as soon as possible. From this point of view, Japan has already conveyed to Peru and Ecuador, through diplomatic channels, its profound concern over the armed conflict between them, and its strong hope for a speedy and peaceful solution to the problem. Japan, having been informed that the four guarantor countries of the Protocol of Rio de Janeiro (the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Chile and the United States of America) and the Organization of American States (OAS) have begun mediation efforts, strongly hopes that international diplomatic efforts will succeed.

Q: Do you think that Japan could cut its Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Peru or Ecuador if the situation grows worse?

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Terusuke Terada: We are not talking about this sort of thing. We are now talking about the question of peace. I think it is quite important for major governments to urge the Governments of Ecuador and Peru to take up this matter peacefully. So, the Government of Japan is also joining the voice of the international community in that direction.
Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Amre Mahmoud Moussa of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Terusuke Terada: Minister of Foreign Affairs Amre Mahmoud Moussa of the Arab Republic of Egypt will visit Japan from 8 to 11 February as guest of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono. During his stay in Japan, Foreign Minister Moussa will meet with Foreign Minister Kono and others to have an exchange of views on the Middle East peace process and other international and regional issues, and also on bilateral relations. This is Foreign Minister Moussa's second visit to Japan. Let me add on this occasion that we attach great importance to the visit of Foreign Minister Moussa, which has as one of its aims paving the way for the successful visit of President Hosni Mubarak of the Arab Republic of Egypt scheduled for the latter part of March. On the occasion of Foreign Minister Moussa's visit, we expect to deepen political dialogue. We are particularly interested in discussing the positive roles being played by the Governments of Egypt and Japan with respect to the peace process in the Middle East.

Q: A Tokyo newspaper mentioned that President Mubarak of Egypt will visit Japan in mid-March, and he will ask the Japanese Government to provide a yen loan of between ù15-20 billion to build a new bridge over the Suez Canal in Egypt. Is that true?

A: The article which you quoted from a Japanese-language paper seems to be erroneous. Of course, the visit of Foreign Minister Moussa has a very important goal. In other words, he has to pave the way for the successful visit of President Mubarak to Japan. Regarding the point which you took up in your question, I should like to say at this stage that we sent a preliminary mission to Egypt to determine the scope of work with respect to the feasibility survey of the project in question. Therefore, we have to await the result of this preliminary mission which is now visiting Egypt. After that, we shall be in a position to determine our policy vis-a-vis this project requested by the Government of Egypt.

Q: Will Foreign Minister Moussa discuss this matter with Japanese officials?

A: Although the topics of the discussions between the two foreign ministers are yet to be decided, I think it is quite likely that Foreign Minister Moussa will take this matter up.
Ministerial Meeting of the Forum for Comprehensive Development of Indochina
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Terusuke Terada: You may perhaps recall that, in January 1993, during the official visit to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, then-Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa called for the holding of the Forum for Comprehensive Development of Indochina. In response to this, in December 1993, a Preparatory Meeting chaired by Japan was held in Tokyo, and an agreement was reached to hold a Ministerial Meeting of this Forum. The Meeting will be held on 26 and 27 February in Tokyo. Ministerial-level participants will be invited from the following countries and organizations: the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and the ASEAN countries, together with developed countries from Europe and North America. We also anticipate the presence of the following international organizations: the Asia Development Bank (ADB), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Japan will be the chair and the host of this conference. With respect to the agenda of this Meeting, the discussions will focus on priority areas including: infrastructure development, human resources development, assistance for transition to market-oriented economies and other priority areas, including trade and investment. Let me touch briefly on the objectives and implications of this Meeting. Firstly, we intend to provide political impetus to the international community's efforts for the development of Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR. Secondly, we intend to facilitate the exchange of information and views among the three countries and the donor countries and organizations in specific priority areas -- namely, infrastructure development and human resources development. Thirdly, we intend to promote closer cooperation among the major donor countries with a view to ensuring the involvement of the relevant international players -- including the United States, the ASEAN countries and European countries -- in this sub-region. To achieve the objectives which I have just described, the coming Ministerial Meeting will intend to produce the following results: first, the issuance of a joint statement; second, the compilation of compendiums on the two priority areas -- namely, infrastructure and human resource development; and third, the establishment of working committees and an advisory group on trade and investment. Finally, let me say that, as a follow-up to this Ministerial Meeting, a private sector symposium will be held on 24 March in Bangkok dealing with the comprehensive development of Indochina. Let me emphasize that the objective of this symposium is to disseminate the results of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum for Comprehensive Development of Indochina to the private sector, as well as to provide an opportunity for the private sector to express its views to the Forum.
Controversial article regarding the Jewish holocaust
Q: A magazine which is named Marco Polo has stopped publishing because of an article which said the Nazi gas chambers did not really exist. I heard that the Japanese Government regards it as an extremely improper article, but would you tell us what the Japanese Government's position is on this magazine?

A: I would simply like to refer you to my statement, which was made one week ago. The position of the Government of Japan is quite clearly spelled out. I am quite happy to provide you with a copy of it.

Back to Index