Arab News Japan

DUBAI: Japan’s Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi told his Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Mustafa on Thursday that a ceasefire in Gaza was important amid the tense situation in the Middle East.

Mustafa, who also serves as the Palestinian Prime Minister, and Iwaya also discussed in a telephone talk Japan’s diplomatic effort and its contributions in humanitarian assistance.

Iwaya also expressed Japan’s determination to play a role in the coming early recovery and reconstruction phases as well.

Minister Iwaya stressed the importance of the steady implementation of Palestinian Authority reforms and expressed Japan’s support for such reform efforts. He added that Japan was consistent in its support of a two-state solution and stated that Japan would contribute to the advancement of the Middle East peace process.

In response, Mustafa explained the Palestinian position on the situations in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Palestinian Authority reform efforts.

He expressed his appreciation for Japan’s strong commitment to the Middle East peace. Minister Iwaya also expressed serious concerns about the situation in the West Bank and explained Japan’s position.

The two sides concurred to continue cooperation on the situation in the Middle East.