ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Japanese government said Foreign Minister Taro Kono will make a six-day trip to the Middle East from Sunday to reaffirm Tokyo's role to push forward the Israel-Palestine peace process.

His visit follows U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and that the American embassy would be moved there from Tel Aviv.

Kono is expected to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on Monday, Foreign Ministry officials said, adding a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also being arranged.

Japan supports a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and that the final status issues of Jerusalem should be settled through negotiations between the parties involved.

Kono plans to visit the West Bank city of Jericho on Tuesday and is expected to announce a plan to upgrade an agro-industrial park project, a centerpiece of the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" development concept involving both Israel and Palestine along with Japan and Jordan.

The Japanese foreign minister will then head to the Jordanian capital Amman, where he is expected to hold talks with his counterpart Ayman Safadi on Tuesday on how to expand bilateral ties, including support for the influx to Jordan of refugees from neighboring Syria.

On Wednesday, Kono is scheduled to meet in Oman with that country's foreign minister Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah to discuss the regional situation, including the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and four Middle Eastern countries. In June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic ties with Qatar over Doha's supposed support for Islamist terrorists and extremist groups. Qatar denies the accusations.

And on Thursday, Kono plans to visit Turkey before returning home on Dec 29.

Earlier this month, Kono paid visits to Bahrain and the UAE.