2ND LD: Japan, Israel agree to efforts to implement road map

Japan Policy & Politics, Sept 2, 2003

TOKYO, Aug. 26 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING FOREIGN MINISTERIAL TALKS)

Japan and Israel on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to keeping up efforts to implement a U.S.-backed road map for Middle East peace, while visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom asked Tokyo to step up pressure on the Palestinians.

''Japan should play a key role in the peace process,'' Shalom told a news conference Tuesday after talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, noting that Japan has provided $680 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Shalom said he hopes Japan can use its ''influence to convince the Palestinians to implement their commitments'' under the road map.

Koizumi was quoted as telling Shalom that Japan has been pushing for the Israelis and Palestinians to coexist and expressed hope that the two sides will exercise self-restraint in implementing the road map. They met at the premier's office.

Kawaguchi was also quoted as telling the meeting with Shalom that she believes countries involved must stick to the road map.

The road map, which both Israel and the Palestinians have accepted, is intended to end the violence and lead to the creation of a Palestinian state in 2005. The Palestinians' main commitment is to ''dismantle infrastructure of terrorist organizations.''

But if Palestinians fail to do so, ''We will do it instead of them in order to protect the lives of our civilians,'' the Israeli foreign minister, who is concurrently deputy prime minister, said at a press conference.

Shalom also told reporters that although Israel is making steady progress in fulfilling its commitment to the peace plan, and is even willing to do ''much more,'' the Palestinians are making insufficient efforts.

Shalom added that while Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has been ''positive'' in his language, and although he still hopes that Abbas can deliver on the road map commitments, ''declarations are not enough.''

The foreign minister said that during his talks with Koizumi he likened the ceasefire with the Palestinian militant groups in June to a time bomb and told the Japanese premier that Israel must take measures to protect itself.

Shalom also asked Japan to recognize the radical Muslim militant group Hamas as a terrorist organization and freeze its assets during the meetings with Koizumi and Kawaguchi, the officials said. But neither Koizumi nor Kawaguchi showed willingness to quickly meet the call.

Tokyo has no system of recognizing groups as terrorist organizations, but has been taking measures to freeze assets of such groups, including the military wing of Hamas, the officials said.

Shalom conveyed to Koizumi an invitation from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to visit Israel, and the Japanese premier said he would like to go if there is an opportunity.