Palestinian head Abbas calls for support from Japan
Reuters
Date: 05-15-05
TOKYO, May 16 (Reuters) - Japan should continue to support Palestine, both economically and politically, as it moves towards the establishment of an independent nation in a peaceful Middle East, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said.
In an interview with Kyodo news agency on Sunday, at the start of a three-day trip to Japan that is the first such visit by any Palestinian leader in five years, Abbas said aid for rebuilding infrastructure was essential.
"I hold expectations that Japan will continue its support for Palestine, not only financially, but also politically by playing a role that would contribute to the Middle East peace process," Abbas said, without giving further details.
Abbas is set to meet Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi late on Monday after meeting with political leaders in the first visit to Japan by a Palestinian leader since Yasser Arafat came in 2000.
He leaves Japan on Tuesday for China and is due to meet U.S. President George W. Bush on May 26 in Washington.
Japan has given Palestine $760 million in aid since 1993 and an additional $60 million in special assistance following Arafat's death in November last year.
An Israeli-Palestinian truce has been shaky and Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will not hold talks on Palestinian statehood until Abbas cracks down on militants as required by an internationally backed peace "road map", whose goal is an independent Palestine alongside a secure Israel.
Abbas reiterated his belief that it was good that the militant group Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, would take part in parliamentary elections set for July.
"I think it is a very good move to involve Hamas and other groups in the political process because by engaging them to solve problems politically, there will be no need to resort to military conflict," he said.
Saying he was always ready to meet with Sharon, Abbas added that an Israeli plan to quit the occupied Gaza Strip this year was just one step on the road to peace.
"Perhaps some people in Israel think that pulling out from Gaza will be the first and the last move needed, but peace will definitely not be realised under such a kind of thinking," Abbas was quoted as saying.
He added that Israel also needed to withdraw from the West Bank, stop building a security wall in the West Bank that Israel says is needed to halt suicide bombers but Palestinians say is a disguised annexation of land, and stop expanding Jewish settlements.
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