Newsletter No. 586
Editorial-Opinion
April 25, 2007

 

THE EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR ON JAPAN’S ARAB POLICIES

This upbeat opinion piece appeared in the Asahi today. The author is the Egyptian ambassador to Japan. My own feeling is that he is too generous in his characterization of Japanese political positions, but this is very common in the diplomatic world. His emphasis on the creation of a “Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone” in West Asia deserves attention.

Arabs are Eager for a More Proactive Japanese Role in the Middle East
By Hisham Badr

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will embark on his first visit to the Middle East since assuming office on a regional tour that will encompass Egypt and a host of other nations in the Arabian Gulf. The timing of this important visit cannot be overemphasized, given the critical juncture that the Middle East is passing through and the opportunity that it will represent for forging an ever-closer strategic partnership between Japan and the Arab world.

Japan has long held friendly and cordial relations with the countries of the Middle East, and it enjoys an unprecedented level of respect, trust and goodwill among the region's governments and peoples alike. Furthermore, and unlike many other major powers, Japan has no legacy of colonialism or interference in the Middle East and is thus perceived -- by all parties -- as an honest and impartial world power that can positively influence events in the region.

It is for all those reasons, and many more, that Prime Minister Abe will receive the warmest of welcomes when he arrives in the Middle East. His visit will also undoubtedly crown Japan's long-standing tradition of engaging with its traditional partners and friends and extend the long history of dialogue that has characterized Japan's relationship with the Arab world.

The foundations for this dialogue are as strong as ever and are aptly reflected in the strength of the bilateral relationships binding Japan and its Arab partners. The fora in which these kinds of dialogues can flourish are also well-established and numerous, particularly as a result of the Japan-Arab Dialogue Forum that was launched in 2003 by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and which continues under Abe.

The network of dialogues between Japan and the Arab world will also be further enhanced and expanded by other mutually beneficial initiatives, including for example the impending inauguration of a Strategic Dialogue between Egypt and Japan and the not-too-distant conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement currently being negotiated by Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

In addition to cementing the exceptional ties between Japan and the Arab world in the bilateral sphere, Abe's visit will also afford Japan the opportunity to enhance its diplomatic posture and involvement in resolving the region's ongoing conflicts and securing peace and stability throughout the Middle East.

Japan's Firm Support of Peace

While the Arab world has traditionally appreciated Japan's efforts and contributions -- in support, for example, of the peace process between Palestine and Israel, in the reconstruction of Iraq, and in peacemaking in Sudan and Somalia -- it nonetheless welcomes and indeed invites an even more assertive and multi-dimensional Japanese engagement in addressing and resolving the challenges facing the Middle East.

Japan, for example, is extremely well-placed to exercise a prominent role in the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which remains -- as it always has -- at the epicenter of the challenges facing the Middle East. The government of Japan has, of course, been a leading donor to the Palestinian Territories; it has a long history of sponsoring and convening confidence building measures between the Palestinians and Israelis; and it has recently launched its initiative to create the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" by promoting economic development and cooperation between Palestine, Israel and Jordan under its stewardship.

All these efforts are indeed crucial and highly appreciated, yet there is a dire and urgent need to proceed toward the full resolution of the final status issues, which can only lead to the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel. And it is here where Japan can exercise its influence and harness its goodwill to attain this long overdue goal.

This enhanced Japanese involvement will coincide with and complement the important step taken by the recent Arab Summit in Riyadh, which reaffirmed the Arab Peace Initiative that sets out the parameters for the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the future normalization of relations between the Arab world and Israel.

By doing so, the Arab world has once again extended its hand of peace to Israel, and Japan -- along with our other international partners -- can play an instrumental role in support of this initiative and ensure it succeeds.

The Arab Summit also addressed the challenging situation in Iraq, where Japan has also been actively engaged in assisting Iraqi reconstruction efforts, promoting national reconciliation and elaborating on the International Compact with Iraq.

Here again, Japan is clearly well suited to play a more instrumental role, in concert with its Arab partners, to secure the goal of a unified, stable and peaceful Iraq. Its efforts could include, for example, expanding the scope of the ongoing trilateral cooperation between Egypt and Japan in training Iraqi personnel to work in the electrical power, health, construction and other sectors.

The Arab leaders meeting in Riyadh also expressed their determination to press forward with their efforts to establish a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East, a goal that remains indispensable for the achievement of lasting peace and enduring security in the region.

This is a goal that has long been supported by Japan, which has been an ardent champion of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation and which above all else knows first hand the horrors inflicted by these weapons of mass destruction. In this context, the Arab world will be looking to Japan to exercise its influence, and its leadership, to support these efforts and make the goal of establishing a NWFZ in the Middle East an irreversible reality.

Prime Minister Abe's impending visit to the region holds a lot of promise for elevating Japan's partnership with the Arab world, both in all of the above areas and in many others.

Eager for Further Dialogue

The Arab world is looking east toward Japan and is eager to see Japan enhance its diplomatic posture and political engagement in the region in a manner that is commensurate with its standing in the international community and its unrivaled economic prowess. The Arab world for its part is equally eager to engage Japan and pave the way for the establishment of even more mutual dialogue -- in all areas and at all levels -- in a manner that positively impacts the whole Middle East and also allows it to view Asia, Japan's own region, through Japanese eyes.