The Japan – Arab Dialogue Forum: A Closing Statement
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The “Japan–Arab Dialogue Forum” has concluded its events today, March 4th, at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, issuing a concluding statement on political, cultural and socio- economic issues.
At the opening ceremony, heads of all three delegations, Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, H.E. Ryutaro Hashimoto , Japanese former Prime Minister and H.E.Mr. Khaled Al Kosaiby, Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning made a speech.
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At this second meeting of the “Japan–Arab Dialogue Forum”, ideas were identified to give substance to the concept of an expanded Japan-Arab partnership for developmental purposes. In his opening statement, Dr. Serageldin stated “we [Arabs] have much to learn from our Japanese colleagues who are perhaps the only people in the world to have shown, not once, but twice that a country can achieve ‘Modernization’ without submitting to ‘Westernization’.” The Forum issued a proposal on short and long term goals for the intensification of cultural exchange, academic studies and eventually establishing a Japan-Arab Technical University.
On the political issue, the Forum agreed to work towards providing stability in the Arab region in the long term, while supplying humanitarian and medical assistance in the region. Participants rejected terrorism of any kind and called for international action to “promote peace and stability based on justice and participation.” The Forum’s recommendation touched upon the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as the security and development in Iraq.
To address the socio- economic development question, the Forum stressed the fact that “reforms and change are essential in a rapidly changing world and that reform process must be home- grown, driven by forces internal to the societies concerned.”
Participants agreed to the Saudi Arabian offer to host the next meeting of the Japan-Arab Forum.