A Conference for Confidence-Building between Israelis and
Palestinians was held here on Wednesday to discuss ways for an
attempt building a cooperative bilateral relationship between the
two sides.
Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres and Palestine Liberation
Organization's Negotiations Affairs Department head Saeb Erekat led
their delegations to participate the two-day conference. Jordanian
King Abdullah's special adviser Farouk Kasrawi also attended the
meeting, according to Kyodo News.
Analysts here said that in order to improve the Palestinian
economic situation and build up closer economic cooperation in the
Middle East are crucial for the acceleration of the peace
process.
At the opening ceremony, Tatsuo Arima, Japanese special envoy
for the Middle East peace process, described the revitalization of
the Palestinian economy as indispensable for creating an atmosphere
conducive to the resumption of the peace talks.
The conference is the third of its kind. Japan hosted the two
former ones in Tokyo respectively in May 2003 and July 2004.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2007)
