FM holds talks with top Japanese officials

AMMAN — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday received Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi who delivered him a message from His Majesty King Abdullah, in which he expressed the Kingdom’s pride in its deep-rooted relations with Japan and keenness to develop them at all levels.

The message also commended the growing role of Japan in enhancing security and stability in the region, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Safadi also conveyed Prime Minister Hani Mulki’s greetings to Abe, and his keenness to build on the positive outcomes of Mulki’s visit to Tokyo in mid-2017. 

Abe expressed his country’s appreciation for His Majesty’s role in achieving security, stability and promoting values of moderation in the region, as well as the Kingdom’s efforts in resolving regional crises.

The Japanese premier voiced Tokyo’s willingness to further develop ties with Amman and to cooperate regarding regional issues. 

Safadi expressed appreciation for Abe over his country’s support to the Kingdom in economic and development sectors, highlighting the importance of Japanese initiatives to enhance regional stability, especially the “corridor for peace and prosperity” initiative, which Jordan supports.

The meeting focused on regional developments, at the top of which was the Palestinian issue and challenges facing the peace process in light of the US decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. 

Abe stressed Japan’s support for the two-state solution, which Safadi described as the sole solution to achieve permanent and comprehensive peace.

The latest developments in the Palestinian issue were also a top issue during Safadi’s meeting with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, as well as ways to improve bilateral ties, the Syrian crisis, war on terrorism, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, Petra added. 

Both ministers highlighted the importance of the developments witnessed in defence and anti-terror cooperation, referring to the “Aqaba Process” that aims at reaching more effective international coordination and cooperation in the war on terrorism within a holistic approach. 

In joint press remarks with Kono, Safadi highlighted the importance of efforts to end the stalemate in the Mideast peace process and to move forward through serious negotiations to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.  

He added that the Arab League tasked the six-party ministerial delegation, headed by Jordan, to urge the international community to recognise a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In this regard, Safadi said that Tokyo has a main role in reaching peace, which makes it a key country to contact and acquaint it with the Arab view.

He also commended the Japanese support for the two-state solution and for its assertion that the status of Jerusalem is a final status issue that has to be determined through direct negotiations, according to relevant UN resolutions. 

For his part, Kono said that Jordan is an important partner for Japan and a key player for efforts to reach stability in the Middle East.

Safadi invited Kono to participate in an international conference that the Kingdom, in cooperation with Egypt and Sweden, will hold on Thursday in Rome to gather support for UNRWA.