Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that if Bashar Assad remains in power, he doubts very much that the situation will improve for the Syrian people. If the present situation remains the way it is, there are fears that extremist influence will expand and proliferate in post-Assad Syria.
In an exclusive interview, Abe said that his country was, and still is, exerting political efforts in cooperation with members of the international community to persuade various parties to resume talks and achieve a two-state solution.
Abe is arriving in the Kingdom today to exchange views about how Japan, the UAE and Turkey can cooperate and coordinate their efforts for the stability of the region. He also said that Japan is a very important partner of Saudi Arabia in energy security.
Following are the excerpts from the interview:
What is the purpose of your visit to the Middle East and what is your assessment of relations with Saudi Arabia, especially with regard to energy?
Traditionally, Japan maintains excellent relations with the Middle Eastern countries. But for many years, Japanese prime ministers did not visit Saudi Arabia. Recently Japan was hit by a strong earthquake in the east. This raised concern among many people regarding the future of Japan. I am seeking to establish a comprehensive partnership with the Middle Eastern countries during this visit. We seek to develop a multifaceted relationship. I was reassured during my last visit in 2007 that a partnership is possible. We first seek to enhance political relations in order to promote stability in the region. Second, we seek to boost economic relations, including in the energy sector. Third, we seek to enhance cultural relations. I will also be visiting the UAE and Turkey, the major countries in the region. We consider Saudi Arabia a very important partner in Japan’s energy security. We were able to increase bilateral cooperation through various means, like the Saudi-Japanese Industrial Task Force, the water sector, energy efficiency, renewable energy, industrial development and human resource development. We have more than 500 Saudi students studying in Japan.
A number of Arab countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen, have experienced political upheaval and established new governments. What is your assessment of the relations between Japan and these countries? What is your message to the Arab world?
Of course, the Middle East has witnessed large changes in the past few years, but this has no bearing on Japan’s basic stance. We will remain faithful partners of the Arab countries, and we will move together. I would like to stress two points regarding the future Arab-Japanese relations: First, stability in the Arab region has a direct impact on world stability. Second, we want to build a complete partnership. Japan was receiving, and still receives, huge support from Middle Eastern countries in energy supplies. I hope that Japan will use its knowledge and technology in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, infrastructure development and other areas.
What do you think of the situation in the Middle East, especially Syria, Israel and Palestine?
Stability in the Middle East is directly related to world stability and so is Japan’s security. As far as Syria is concerned, I want to express my deep concern for the huge humanitarian damage there and its spillover effects on the whole region. So far, Japan has given $ 80 million in emergency aid. Last year, Japan voted for the UN resolution giving Palestine observer state status in the world organization. For this objective, Japan supports Palestine’s efforts to build the country. This support was around $ 1.35 billion.
The global economy is suffering. Can Japan be a player in the efforts to help global recovery?
Japan has been suffering from deflation for many years. But I believe Japan, the world’s third largest economy, has the ability to lead the world toward progress. My job is to protect Japan from this deflation, which has been around for too long. For this purpose, I launched a three-pronged monetary strategy. Europe is undergoing recession and growth is slowing in the emerging markets. Yet we have noticed good signs regarding economic recovery, like the improvement in stock market indicators. When Japan enters the growth lane, this will increase Japan’s imports and will lead to an increase in foreign direct investment. World countries will benefit from this.
What about the situation in the Korean Peninsula? Is Japan ready in case of an attack from North Korea?
North Korea’s development of nuclear missiles and weapons is completely against UN Security Council resolutions. It is in violation of the joint communiqué issued after the six-party talks. This is a threat to world peace and stability, especially Asia. Japan believes that the international community will not be influenced by the North Korean position. We aim to make North Korea understand that such positions are futile and will be of no benefit to it. Japan will continue to coordinate with the US, South Korea, and also with China and Russia, as well as other countries.
