Arab-Japan Forum Urges Steping Up Efforts To Address Global Challenges

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CAIRO, Sept 5 (KUNA) -- The Third Arab-Japan Political Dialogue Forum, convened on the foreign minister-level at the Arab League on Tuesday, adopted a joint statement highlighting the importance of cooperation to address the challenges facing the international community.
The conferees expressed hope to open new horizons for cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, educational, environmental and energy areas, according to the statement.
The ministers agreed to step up joint efforts in the face of international challenges, including the combat against terrorism, the promotion of sustainable development and energy security, and response to the food insecurity.
They underscored the role of coordination of regional and international response to humanitarian disasters and need of alleviating the burdens of the refugee-host Arab countries.
They agreed to work together for promotion of international peace, security and stability through lobbying for peaceful solutions to conflicts and avoiding use of force in settling differences pursuant to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
On the Middle East conflict, the ministers stressed the need of ending the Israeli occupation of all Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied in 1967, including the East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights, in order to reach a fair, comprehensive and durable peaceful solution.
They urged resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks on the final staissues, including the Palestinian refugees and Jerusalem status, in keeping with the provisions of the relevant UN resolutions, the international law, the two-state vision and the Arab peace initiative of 2002.
They stressed the importance of the maintaining the historical staof the holy city of Jerusalem and backing the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem holy sites.
In this context, the Arab foreign ministers praised Japan's longstanding support to Palestine in its effort to achieve economic independence, citing in this regard the Japanese initiative of "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" and the progress in Japan's Development of the Jericho (Ariha) Agricultural Industrial Park (JAIP).
Regarding the Libyan crisis, the conferees called for Libyan-led UN-backed solution and holding free and transparent legislative and presidential elections as early as possible.
They renewed support to the efforts to reunify the Libyan state institutions and the efforts of the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission to end foreign military and mercenary presence in the country within a specific timeframe.
On Yemen, the ministers reaffirmed support to the country's sovereignty and stability, commending the efforts of the Presidential Leadership Council to restore peace and security based on the principles of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and its executive mechanism, and the provisions of the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
As for Sudan, the conferees stated support to the outcomes of the Sudan neighbors summit, hosted by Cairo in July, echoing the call for immediate and durable ceasefire.
Regarding the three occupied islands in the Arabian Gulf, the ministers reiterated support for efforts to reach a peaceful solution through bilateral negotiation as per the provisions of the international law and UN Charter.
Earlier today, Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah delivered a speech to the Dialogue Forum which was co-chaired by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, from the Arab side, and Japanese Foreign Minister YoshimHayashi, with the Arab League's Secretary-General Ahmad Abul-Gheit attending. (pickup previous)
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