Top > Regional Affairs > North America > The United States > Japan's Measures in Response to the Terrorist Attacks in the United States > Japan' Assistance > Visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates by Prime Minister's Special Envoy Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto

Visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates by Prime Minister's Special Envoy Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto

11 October 2001

From 7-12 October, Prime Minister's Special Envoy Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, on his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), held meetings with President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Secretary General Amre Mahmoud Moussa of the League of Arab States, and attended the ceremony of the completion of the Suez Canal Bridge. He also held meetings with UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sultan bin Zayid Al Nahyan and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayid Al Nahyan.

1. Overview of Visit to Egypt

(1) Meeting with President Mubarak

  1. Bilateral Relationship
    President Mubarak expressed his gratitude for Japan's cooperation to date, including its contribution to the completion of the Suez Canal Bridge. Former Prime Minister Hashimoto mentioned that it was deeply moving for him, because the Cabinet decision for the cooperation regarding the Suez Canal Bridge was passed during his tenure as Prime Minister.
  2. Terrorist Attacks of 11 September
    Speaking on the terrorist attacks that victimized ordinary citizens from 68 countries, former Prime Minister Hashimoto stressed that Japan was unflinching in its determination to fight against terrorism and would like to cooperate with the rest of the world toward this purpose. Mr. Hashimoto praised President Mubarak's determined stance against terrorism. In response, after stating that at least five of the victims were Egyptians, President Mubarak stated that it was necessary to face terrorism with a strong resolve.
  3. Middle East Peace Process
    President Mubarak stated that the root of terrorism lies in the Palestinian cause and there is a need for the United States to put pressure on Israel. In response, former Prime Minister Hashimoto mentioned that when necessary Japan has been expressing its opinions to Israel and that such stances by Japan regarding Middle East peace remain unchanged.

(2) Meeting with Secretary General Moussa of the League of Arab States and Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

  1. Terrorist Attacks of 11 September
    Former Prime Minister Hashimoto stated many Japanese have gone missing since the attacks, and Japan will do everything in its power to tackle this issue in cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom. In response, Secretary General Moussa said that the Arab countries are united in the stance that terrorism, including the recent attacks on the United States, is unacceptable.
  2. Middle East Peace Process
    1. Former Prime Minister Hashimoto stated the Middle East peace process must be promoted regardless of the terrorist attacks of 11 September. Secretary General Moussa stressed that the issue of the Middle East peace process might not be a condition for efforts for combating terrorism, but that it should be tackled simultaneously and for this purpose pressure on Israel is necessary.
    2. Later, Chairman Arafat joined the meeting and reiterated his gratitude to Japan for its assistance while explaining the situation of Israel's closure of Hebron, etc., and emphasized that the Israeli Government is not observing the agreements with the Palestinians.

(3) Attendance at the Ceremony of the Completion of the Suez Canal Bridge

  1. On the morning of 9 October, former Prime Minister Hashimoto attended the ceremony of the completion of the Suez Canal Bridge as Prime Minister's envoy. Former Prime Minister Hashimoto took part in the opening of the bridge with President Mubarak, which impressed that this bridge was the fruit of joint Japan-Egypt work.
  2. In his speech during the ceremony, former Prime Minister Hashimoto called it a bridge entitled to link together the people and civilizations of Asia and Africa and stated that he hoped it would continue to symbolize the friendly relationship between Japan and Egypt for many years to come.

2. Overview of Visit to the UAE

(1) Meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sultan

  1. Terrorist Attacks of 11 September
    Former Prime Minister Hashimoto praised the UAE's decision to break diplomatic ties with the Taliban and conveyed the importance of the international community's solidarity. Deputy Prime Minister Sultan stated that the question of why those acts of terrorism took place should be asked, and added that it is the killing of Palestinians by Israel that should be questioned.
  2. Regional Affairs
    Deputy Prime Minister Sultan expressed his concern that the difficult situation the Palestinians and Iraq are facing would not be adequately addressed while the world's interest is concentrated on the terrorist attacks. In response, former Prime Minister Hashimoto explained Japan's foreign policy towards the Middle East.

(2) Meeting with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan

  1. Terrorist Attacks of 11 September
    Former Prime Minister Hashimoto explained Japan's stance. In response, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan replied that since the attacks, the UAE has strengthened its commitment to fight against terrorism and it expressed its intention to cooperate with the United States, United Kingdom and others.
  2. Attacks on Afghanistan by the United States and United Kingdom militaries
    Former Prime Minister Hashimoto stated that difficulty is foreseen for military operations due to geographic conditions in and around Afghanistan. In response, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan stated that the Northern Alliance would, based on its experience, bring Kabul under its control sooner or later.
  3. Regional Affairs
    Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan introduced the UAE's assistance to the Palestinians, and appreciated Japan's assistance and peace efforts.
  4. Raising the Level of Travel Warning
    Regarding Japan's raising the travel warning level to the UAE, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan requested that this be lowered.

3. Results

(1) Terrorist Attacks of 11 September

  1. Through these meetings, former Prime Minister Hashimoto clearly stated Japan's stance that the terrorist attacks of 11 September were atrocious acts perpetrated on innocent unarmed civilians from 68 countries, including Japan. He directly conveyed Japan's resolve to fight against terrorism, and was able to stress in person to influential leaders of the Arab world that terrorism and Islam should not be confused, and that it is important for the international community, including the Arab and Islamic worlds, to strengthen cooperation. In particular, it was good timing for these demarche to be made, coming as they did, immediately after the commencement of air attacks by the United States and the United Kingdom on 7 October (and immediately before the Emergency Foreign Ministerial Meeting of the Arab League (9 October) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (10 October).
  2. Moreover, it is significant that at the meeting with Arab League Secretary General Moussa, he stated that the Arab nations are united in the stance against terrorism, despite the fact that there is a difference in the level of support among these nations' stances regarding the policies of the United States, the United Kingdom and others.
  3. Japan was able to stress to its counterparts that its cooperation is not for military purposes but for refugee aid and other humanitarian purposes.

(2) Middle East Peace

  1. It was agreed that terrorism should be faced with a strong resolve and that Islam and terrorism are incompatible.
  2. At the same time, it was agreed that with or without the terrorist attacks of 11 September, Middle East peace should be promoted.
  3. In particular, most of the counterparts in the meetings stressed that progress on the issue of Middle East peace is fundamentally indispensable for the purpose of rooting out terrorism.

(3) Bilateral Relationships

In Egypt, Former Prime Minister Hashimoto attended the ceremony of the completion of the Suez Canal Bridge. Overall, various considerations were made by the Egyptian side, including arrangements for transportation by helicopter from Cairo to the ceremony venue. The extensive simulcast of the atmosphere at the ceremony on local television, and its presentation in detail on special programs demonstrate the significant publicity impact of Japan's economic cooperation on the people of Egypt.

Back to Index