(Final)

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
ON THE OCCASION OF DR. NABEEL SHA'ATH'S VISIT TO JAPAN FOR
JAPANESE-PALESTINIAN MINISTERIAL POLITICAL CONSULTATION
AND
JAPANESE-PALESTINIAN JOINT COMMITTEE

May 17-19, 2000

1. At the invitation of the Government of Japan, Dr. Nabeel Sha'ath, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority, visited Japan from May 17 to 19, 2000. The objective of the visit was to explore measures to further strengthen bilateral relations in a variety of areas by holding, for the first time, the Japanese-Palestinian Ministerial Political Consultation and the Japanese-Palestinian Joint Committee, which had been proposed on the occasion of President Arafat's visit to Japan in October 1999.
2. As the parties concerned were making utmost efforts toward the permanent status agreement by September 2000, both sides took the initiative in materializing Dr. Sha'ath's visit. The two sides had shared the view that Japan had been actively involved in the peace efforts and that it was desirable to exert a favorable influence over the progress of the Middle East peace process by demonstrating anew Japan's active support to the Palestinian people both at home and abroad. The two sides highly valued the increase of high-level exchanges as seen in the recent two visits by President Arafat, the three visits by Dr. Sha'ath to Japan on the one hand, and the visits by Foreign Minister Koumura, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Machimura and Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Azuma from Japan on the other.
3. Dr. Sha'ath and Foreign Minister Kono held the Japanese-Palestinian Ministerial Political Consultation on May 18, and exchanged views on the latest developments on the Middle East peace process. Dr. Sha'ath also participated in the Japanese-Palestinian Joint Committee on the same day, where six committees had been established in the fields of political issues, economic cooperation, financial issues, industry and trade, private investment, and education and culture. Dr. Sha'ath had discussions with Japanese officials on the ways to strengthen bilateral relations in these fields. From the Palestinian side, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Higher Education attended the Joint Committee. From the Japanese side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) participated in the Joint Committee. During his stay in Japan, Dr. Sha'ath paid a courtesy call on Mr. Soichiro Ito, Speaker of the House of Representatives, on May 17.
4. Both sides underlined the importance of pursuing a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 425 as well as the Madrid Peace Conference, particularly the principle of "land for peace."
5. The two sides shared the view on the necessity of the immediate and faithful implementation of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum and all other agreements made between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and confirmed the importance of encouraging every effort to complete the final status negotiations by the target date of September 13, 2000. Both sides emphasized the importance of refraining from any unilateral actions that might prejudice the outcome of the final status negotiations, especially in connection with the issues of Jerusalem and expansion of the settlements.
6. Foreign Minister Kono reaffirmed Japan's continued support for the Palestinians' right of self-determination including the right to establish an independent State. Japan recognizes that this right is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, and the future of the Palestinians rests with their own choice. Both sides expressed their strong hope that an independent and democratic Palestinian State would be effectively established through peaceful means on the basis of the aforementioned principles. Mr. Kono stated that Japan would immediately consider the recognition of a Palestinian State once the Palestinians declare their independence in such a peaceful manner.
7. Both sides supported the peaceful existence of the State of Israel in the Middle East in accordance with the principle of "land for peace." They reaffirmed the necessity to solve the problem of the Middle East peace in such a way as to ensure the security of all the parties concerned.
8. The two sides confirmed that a just settlement of the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with the United Nations resolutions is one of the most important issues for the achievement of a comprehensive peace, and that the international community should be responsive to the needs of the Palestinian refugees not only in the West Bank and Gaza Strip but also in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of continued support for the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
9. Dr. Sha'ath expressed gratitude for Japan's assistance to the Palestinian people which amounted to over 500 million US dollars in the past six years, and attested that the assistance was contributing to the social and economic development of the Palestinian people and that it was underpinning the progress of the Middle East peace process. Mr. Kono expressed his intention to continue to extend economic assistance conducive to the human resource development and nation building of the Palestinian people. Both sides called upon the international community to respond to the vast development needs of the Palestinian people even after the successful conclusion of the negotiations.
10. Dr. Sha'ath expressed his hope that Japan will also play a leading role in the international concerted efforts to assist the Palestinian people in their nation building after its declaration and in implementing requirements of the final status agreement, particularly relating to the refugees and displaced Palestinians.
11. Both sides appreciated the fact that the Ad Hoc Liason Committee (AHLC) meeting in Tokyo last October added a political momentum to the Middle East peace process, and expressed their commitment to make utmost efforts so that the AHLC meeting in Lisbon scheduled on June 7 and 8 would also have the same positive effect on the peace process. The two Ministers confirmed that the Palestinian administrative and fiscal reform, which President Arafat had announced at the AHLC meeting in Tokyo, was a key to the continued and autonomous development of the Palestinians, and that they would review the progress of the reform in the next meeting of the AHLC.
12. The two sides shared the view that it is a comprehensive peace that will ensure the lasting stability in the whole Middle East region and the security of individual countries. In this respect, both sides called on the parties concerned to make accelerated efforts toward the progress and early settlement of the Syrian and the Lebanese tracks. Both sides welcomed Israel's decision to withdraw its forces by July from South Lebanon on the basis of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 425. Mr. Kono expressed his strong hope that the withdrawal would be carried out in a smooth manner and that resistance groups would desist from any cross-border attacks after the withdrawal.
13. Both sides underlined the importance of creating an appropriate environment through progress of the bilateral negotiations for holding the multilateral negotiations reactivated at the Moscow Steering Group meeting last February.
14. At the Political Committee, the two sides reviewed the latest situation of the Middle East peace process, exchanging views on such issues as the declaration of the independence of a Palestinian State, the status of Jerusalem, the Palestinian refugees, water issues, resumption of the Palestinian Office in Tokyo as well as the situations in Iran and Iraq.
15. At the Economic Cooperation Committee, Dr. Sha'ath expressed gratitude to Japan for its economic assistance to the Palestinian people, especially for the grant aid in the field of school construction, water supply, and so on. Dr. Sha'ath appreciated Japan's assistance through the Trust Fund Program for Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for it has greatly contributed to the improvement of the standard of living of the people as well as to emergency job creation.
16. At the Financial Committee, the Palestinian side gave an explanation on the progress of the fiscal reform, including the activities of the Higher Council for Development, and expressed its intention to continue to ensure the transparency of income and expenditure as well as to strengthen the capability of the Ministry of Finance to effectively manage the revenue and expenditure of the Palestinian Authority.
17. At the Industry and Trade Committee, both sides exchanged views on the ways and means to promote economic and trade relations. Japan welcomed visits of those engaged in international trade from the Palestinian side.
18. At the Private Investment Committee, both sides exchanged views on the measures to promote private investment. As a first step, the Palestinian side will try its utmost in consolidating the regulations related to investment.
19. At the Education and Cultural Exchange Committee, the two sides expressed their hope that cultural exchange, including programs to introduce the Japanese culture in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as exchange programs for students and teachers would be further promoted between them.
20. The Japanese side stated that it had taken the measures last April to make Generalized System of Preferential Duties applicable to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.