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Arab and Japanese Dignitaries Emphasize the Need for Promoting Bilateral Relations in the Opening Session of the Japan–Arab Conference

Alexandria— The Japan–Arab Conference entitled A New Dawn: Arabs looking East was inaugurated on Tuesday, 20 November 2007, attended by Arab and Japanese senior officials, businessmen, scientists, and intellectuals to reinforce Japan–Arab relations on all fronts and to explore future possibilities for further cooperation.

In the Opening session, Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, stated that the Conference is a product of the Japan–Arab Dialogue Forum, which started in Tokyo in September 2003, and its fifth annual meeting was held on Monday, 19 November 2007 at the BA.

Dr. Ismail Serageldin added that Japan drew the attention of the world to the dramatic progress it achieved without trespassing on its identity, and through maintaining its cultural heritage—that is what the Arabs should aspire to achieve. He focused on the common interests between the two sides—a positive historic background and cooperation throughout ages, which the conference aims to promote on the short and long terms.

Dr. Ismail Serageldin gave the floor to Dr. Taro Nakayama, Chairman of the Constitution Research Council, Former Japanese Foreign Minister, and head of the Japanese delegation to the conference, who expressed his deep thanks to the BA for organizing and hosting this Conference and to the participating Arab delegations.

Dr. Nakayama stated that the Conference reminds him of the "Look East Policy" of the Malaysia renaissance experience, in which it significantly benefited from the Japanese expertise, and now it is Arabs who are speaking of "Looking East". He added that the Arabs and the Japanese have a history of strong relations, and stressed that the Middle East has served as a merging point for cultures, and in Middle Ages it enabled Islamic culture to flourish. He declared the Japanese support and respect to this civilization. He mentioned that when Japan and Arab countries come to hold values in common, it is then that both sides will achieve the ultimate level of friendship.

HE Mrs. Fayza Abou El-Naga, Minister of International Cooperation, who represented Dr. Ahmed Nazif, Egyptian Prime Minister in the conference, expressed her delight in participating in this major event, which she described as "historical" in Japan–Arab relations. She spoke on behalf of Egyptian Prime Minister, who congratulated the BA and its Director on the successful preparation of the conference and the Library's fifth anniversary.

Dr. Ahmed Nazif, in his speech given by HE Mrs. Fayza Abou El-Naga, stated that Egypt was observing with great admiration the pioneer Japanese experience, which was described by some as "miraculous". He added that the great development in the Japan–Arab relations recently was behind this momentous conference, which launches a new era of more developed and diversified relationships serving mutual interests in the coming decades.

He referred to the diversity of cooperation potentials between Japan and Arabs and to the importance of science and technology theme, which is discussed among other political, economic and cultural themes in the conference, particularly to the Arab world. In the same context, he recommended establishing a network including Arab and Japanese universities in this field.

He greatly valued the Japanese assistance to Egypt during the past years including the Japanese aid to Egypt in the re-opening of the Suez Canal following October 73 War, the establishment of "Cairo Opera House", and other projects, in addition to the valuable contributions offered by Japan to other Arab countries in various fields of development.

He concluded his address by focusing on the importance of thoroughly studying the Japanese experience and deriving tangible recommendations out of the conference to promote the relations between the two parties on sound basis. He also recommended that conference be followed by series of activities in the near future gathering both parties.

HE Hisham Badr, Assistant Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the representative of HE Ahmed Abou El-Ghiet, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Arab and Japanese delegations in this significant and timely conference. HE Ambassdor Hisham Badr stated, on behalf of HE Minister Ahmed Abou El-Ghiet, that the conference message is loud and clear: the Arab world and Japan share a genuine, solid and powerful desire to enter a new era of multifaceted cooperation. He expressed his thanks to the Japanese side on the model for future Japanese- Arab cooperation: The Egypt-Japan University for Science and Technology, which will open its doors to students from Egypt, Arab world and Africa in the coming academic year. He added that the University basic objective is to be a center for the fostering of sustainable development for the benefit of Egypt's industrial base.

He welcomed Japan's role in the Middle East, which is no longer confined to an economic one, as its political role is equally imperative. He mentioned the Japanese assistance to the Palestinian people since 1993 and focused on the imperativeness of reaching concrete results in the Annapolis Middle East Peace Process meeting held at the end of November. On the nuclear issue, Ambassador Hisham Badr, on behalf of HE Ahmed Abou El-Ghiet, called for close cooperation to rid the region of all weapons of mass destruction, especially after the Japanese have suffered the scourge of nuclear weapons following the World War II.

HE Ambassador Mervat Tallawy, former Egyptian Ambassador to Japan, conveyed the address of HE Mr. Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, welcomed the participating delegations and congratulated the BA on its fifth anniversary.

She stated, on behalf of Mr. Amr Moussa, that Japan and the Arab world are eager to seek new ways to strengthen and deepen the Japanese-Arab relationship on all fronts and that the convening of the first Japan and Arab conference represents the true beginning of a new era of Arab-Japanese dialogue and cooperation. In his speech. Amr Moussa added that the conference is being held at a crucial time as it coincides with the Annapolis Conference scheduled in the end of November referring to the need for decisive and immediate action to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He added that in spite of the excellent bilateral relations between Japan and the Arab world, the Arab world believes it is high time to raise theses relations to a higher level. He invited the private sector, businessmen and NGOs from Japan and the Arab countries to provide mechanisms for stronger relations.

On the Arab issues, he expressed his appreciation to the Japanese government for the exoneration of Iraq's debt, the provision of economic assistance for the reconstruction of Iraq, and the assistance to the Palestinian through specialized UN organizations or through direct assistance to the Palestinian authorities. At the end of his speech, he emphasized that economies do not flourish unless surrounded by an environment of peace and stability.

Dr. Khalid Al-Gosaibi, Saudi Minister of Economics and Planning, stated that there is now a clear realization among Arab countries about the relevance and growing importance of the Eastern world and that the center of gravity of world affairs is moving to the East, due to the growth performance in this region, particularly in Japan, China, and India. He added that the Arab world must seek to understand the true nature of the development strategy followed by Japan and benefit from the Japanese experience in education. He stated that the quality of education is definitely not correlated to the amount of money spent. He emphasized that that peace and political stability in the region are a necessary condition for enhancing the true welfare of the people, referring to the unjust treatment of the Palestinian people, which is a source of anguish to all Arabs. He concluded that the bond between Arab countries and Japans runs deep, however, it needs to be nurtured to make it even stronger.