King Abdullah, Japanese FM discuss ties, region

His Majesty King Abdullah II met visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties as well as the latest developments in the Middle East. The King stressed the need to increase cooperation between Jordan and Japan, mainly in the fields of energy and industry in the interest of both countries. Regarding the peace process, His Majesty expressed Jordan’s appreciation for Japan’s efforts to bring about peace in the region and end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, thus leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of the two-state solution. King Abdullah highlighted the efforts led by US Secretary of State John Kerry to advance the peace process, pointing in this regard to the “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” initiative which was launched by Japan in 2008 to enhance regional cooperation. His Majesty called for a united international stance to deal with Israel’s settlement policies, unilateral measures and the Jewish state’s continued violations committed against the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. On the situation in Syria, the King stressed the need to arrive at a transitional political solution to the Syrian crisis that brings to an end the bloodshed and preserves Syria’s unity. The King also pointed to the increasing burden being shouldered by Jordan due to the humanitarian aid provided to more than half a million Syrian refugees in the Kingdom. The Japanese minister expressed his country’s appreciation for King Abdullah’s role in dealing with regional issues, and achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. He said Japan is keen to continue coordination and consultations with Jordan on various regional issues and to further boost relations with the Kingdom. Kishida also praised the efforts being made by Jordan to offer a range of services to the Syrian refugees and stressed Japan’s support to Jordan in this regard. The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Nasser Judeh and the delegation accompanying the Japanese minister.