US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Sunday urged the Japanese government and people to support the Middle East peace process, saying the country's backing was crucial for an accord between Israel and the Palestinians.
Albright, speaking at the dedication of a civic hall named for her in Miyazaki, said last week's failure of the Camp David summit after 15 days of intense negotiations should not spur complacency on the part of the international community.
"The United States hopes the Middle East leaders and their constituents will use the current pause to reassess and prepare for a new and successful round of talks," she said.
"If so, the United States will be there to assist and we will be stronger knowing that our efforts will be reinforced by other nations who are committed to peace, including Japan," Albright said.
As in past negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, notably Egypt and Jordan, a peace accord will have an enormous price tag with estimates for an Israeli-Palestinian deal ranging from 17 to 40 billion dollars.
As one of the world's wealthiest countries, Japan has been approached by both the parties and the United States to help pay the multi-billion costs of relocating millions of Palestinian refugees, the massive desalinization program that will be needed to ensure a potable water supply for Israel and a future Palestinian state as well as related expenses.
Though the Camp David talks floundered for lack of agreement on many issues of contention, particularly the future status of Jerusalem, Albright said progress had been made in many areas and appealed for the world at large to encourage a continuation of the peace process.
"The Israeli and Palestinian leaders have not yet given up the pursuit of peace and neither should we," she said, noting US-Japanese cooperation in other similar efforts such as those in Cambodia and East Timor.
"After so much progress on key issues, it is unthinkable that the parties would now simply abandon the path to reconciliation and accept a descent into renewed bitterness and strife," she said -- MIYAZAKI, Japan (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
