(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Doha: The Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammad Al Ansari has said that Qatar and Japan have agreed to exchange memorandums on visa exemption for Qatari citizens through the pre-registration system for Qatari travelers to Japan.
Dr. Al Ansari noted that the new system allows Qatari citizens to immediately register and obtain an entry permit, expecting the application of the system to start summer of 2023.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing organized at the headquarter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Dr. Al Ansari said that the strategic dialogue between Qatar and Japan has attached a special importance to expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries in all issues, noting that the next round of the strategic dialogue is scheduled to be held in Doha.
Dr. Al Ansari shed light on the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani's recent tour of Istanbul, Tehran and Tokyo; noting that His Excellency started his tour in Istanbul where he met with the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discussed aspects of the bilateral cooperation and means of enhancing and developing them, in addition to the latest regional developments.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs then headed to Tehran and held an expanded meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Dr. Hossein Amirabdollahian on aspects of the bilateral cooperation and ways of promoting them, mainly in economic cooperation and trade exchange. The two sides also touched on a number of regional and international issues, especially the developments of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.
Dr. Al Ansari added that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs headed to Tokyo to hold the second strategic dialogue between the government of Qatar and the government of Japan. During the visit, His Excellency also held meetings with the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, and the Member of the House of Representatives of Japan and President of the Japanese Parliamentary Association for Friendship with Qatar Toshihiro Nikai.
He noted that the strategic dialogue session discussed promoting the economic cooperation and encouraging mutual investments between the two countries especially in the field of energy and clean energy, cooperation and exchange of expertise in the field of cybersecurity, enhancing cooperation in the defense field, exchanging expertise in the field of technology, as well as promoting private investments and the exchange of business visits in the two countries.
On allowing the burning and tearing of copies of the holy Quran in some European capitals, Dr. Al Ansari affirmed that Qatar swiftly condemned the event in every location where it took place, noting that Qatar has issued more than one condemnation in order to emphasize its firm positions on such matters similar to the positions of other Arab and Islamic countries. He said that any Islamic global effort in the field of combating forms of discrimination on a religious, ethnic or other basis is welcomed by Qatar and is working to fulfill it, stressing that the issue of Islamophobia represents a great concern to the leadership in Qatar.
Dr. Al Ansari noting that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs referred specifically to the global threat of Islamophobia at a press conference in Tehran recently, noting that Qatar strives, along with the Arab and Islamic countries, to have a decisive role in this issue.
Regarding Qatar's role and its contribution to de-escalating the situation in the region, Dr. Al Ansari pointed out that the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to Tehran came few days after the visit of the Assistant Foreign Minister for Regional Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, which indicates that Qatar continues to play a leading role in negotiation efforts, as Qatar conveyed the US and EU messages to Iran.
He stressed that Qatar's commitment to de-escalate the situation in the region comes as a guarantee to the region's stability as any escalation will have repercussions on all countries of the region including Qatar. Also, Qatar's role stems from its belief in the need for balanced relations between countries of the region, and that the international community is a guarantor of peace and security in the region, therefore Qatar attaches exceptional importance to de-escalation and its activity falls within that framework.
In the same context, he pointed out that Qatar - as a facilitator for Iran's nuclear file negotiations - provides proposals in this regard and supports negotiations between the two parties, as Qatar facilitated an indirect dialogue between Tehran and Washington through the European mediator lately. He added that there is no upcoming tour on the map, but Qatar's doors are wide open, expressing its willingness for all parties to play a role in the rapprochement between the points of view.
He said that Qatari mediation had a positive impact since day one in proposals and rapprochement of meaningful points of view, and not just a message carrier between the two parties.
He added that it has become crystal clear to everyone that Qatar's role in facilitating the negotiations between western parties and Iran is a non-stop pivotal, essential, and continuous role. Qatar has a special interest in realizing that agreement as it represents a guarantee of stability in the region at security, military, political, and social levels, as the region is bound by various ties and relations, which is why relations should be normal and not an exception.
For his part, Director of Media and Communication Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi reviewed Qatar's stances on several issues recently. He pointed out that the Qatar condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the brutal Israeli aggression against Jenin camp, which led to several deaths and injuries, and considered it an extension of the heinous and horrific crimes of the occupation against the defenseless Palestinian people, adding that the Israeli occupation has become more reassured than ever before of impunity and unaccountability.
He added that Qatar condemned and denounced, in the strongest possible terms, burning and tearing copies of the holy Quran in Sweden, Stockholm, and Copenhagen, noting that double standards are unacceptable regarding the freedom of speech.
He added that Qatar condemned the attack that targeted the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Iranian capital of Tehran and the bombing that took place inside a mosque in the city of Peshawar in Pakistan, stressing Qatar's firm stance rejecting violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of the motives and reasons.
He noted Qatar's support for the efforts that aim to hold the Syrian regime accountable for the crimes it committed, including the use of a chemical weapon in the City of Douma, according to a report issued lately by the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW's), indicating that the report confirms that the Syrian regime was responsible for those heinous crimes, and no solution without holding it accountable and achieving justice for the people.
Al Hashmi reviewed the meeting of the Assistant Foreign Minister for Regional Affairs with British officials during the past couple of days and discussed bilateral cooperation relations and the means to support and develop them, in addition to discussing several regional and international issues of common interest and ways to coordinate the two countries' efforts regarding them.
He also noted that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi received a copy of the credentials of the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Qatar HE Mahir Muhammad Oglu Aliyev, and His Excellency's wishes for his success in his duties.