Japan plans to intensify its presence in Middle East, North Africa
Regional-Japan, Politics, 9/3/1999

Japanese diplomatic sources said on Wednesday that a meeting including government officials, businessmen and representatives of trade and industrial companies and groups in Japan will be held in Vienna at the beginning of next week to evaluate the Japanese strategy in the Middle east End the Arab states as well as to study prospects in for the Japanese political and economic presence in the two areas.

The sources stated that high-ranking officials at the Japanese Foreign Ministry and the commissioned ministers in the Japanese embassies in the Arab capitals will meet next Monday in the Austrian capital, Vienna, while businessmen and representatives of huge companies working in the region will be meeting separately on the same day. The two sides will hold a joint meeting the next day.

It was reported that the political meeting will discuss the question of terrorism, the obstacles which hinder the Middle East peace process, and the Iraqi position regarding the UN as well as an economic question pertaining to Japan's desire to intensify its investments and aid to the countries of the region, including the Palestinian Authority, during the coming phase.

The sources stated that the North Africa region will have a special interest and a special share of the discussions shown in previous annual meetings. The discussions will cover the current efforts to perpetuate national reconciliation in Algeria, conditions pertaining to the Arab Maghreb Union ( including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Mauritania), prospects for the Maghreb - US partnership, known as the Eizenstat Initiative, after a US diplomat who visited the region last year and proposed formulas for further cooperation with its governments.

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