Japan promises Italy, Iran more efforts on Gaza

TOKYO, Jan. 7 Kyodo -
(EDS: INCORPORATING STORY HEADLINED 'JAPAN, ITALY AGREE TO COORDINATE G-8 EFFORTS ON GAZA')
Italy and Iran separately urged Japan on Wednesday to exercise its influence in
coordinating international efforts to draw up a truce in Gaza and Tokyo
promised to play an active role, including in contributing to humanitarian
assistance for the Palestinians, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini initiated a 25-minute phone call with
his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone, during which they agreed to
cooperate and coordinate humanitarian aid efforts among the Group of Eight
countries. Italy succeeded Japan in assuming the annual G-8 presidency this
year.
Later in the evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called
Nakasone and stressed the urgent need for Israel to halt its attacks on the
Gaza Strip, noting the important role Japan can play given its current
membership of the U.N. Security Council, the officials said.
In response, Nakasone requested that Iran also play a ''constructive role'' on
its part to help resolve the crisis.
Japan defeated Iran when the two countries ran against each other last year for
a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council for the 2009-2010 term.
Meanwhile, Nakasone and Italy's Frattini shared their grave concerns about the
deteriorating situation and affirmed the importance of urging both the Israelis
and Palestinians to implement an immediate and sustainable cease-fire in the
Gaza Strip, the officials said.
Both ministers expressed support for efforts in the U.N. Security Council to
broker a solution and reaffirmed their pledges to provide humanitarian
assistance to the Palestinians.
Since the latest outbreak of violence, Japan has repeatedly called on both the
Israeli and Palestinian sides to immediately halt the use of force and has
pledged to continue its assistance to the Palestinian people, including around
$10 million worth of emergency aid for the Gaza Strip, in view of the
situation.
While being a close ally of the United States, Japan has been involved in the
Middle East peace process and maintains relatively good relations with both the
Israeli and Palestinian sides.
For example, Tokyo initiated a development project in 2006 to build an
agro-industrial park in the West Bank involving Israel, the Palestinians,
Jordan and Japan. The plan is intended to foster trust in the region by
building a viable Palestinian economy, thus creating an atmosphere conducive to
advancing the peace talks.
The G-8 consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and
the United States.
==Kyodo