VZCZCXRO9490
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHKO #1987/01 1990745
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170745Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5913
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0218
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0364
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4420
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0300
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0314
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0520
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2114
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2428
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 9708
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 6193
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0332
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0581
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0410
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0767
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0096
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0376
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/USFJ
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 001987 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL IS JO JA
SUBJECT: ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS, JORDANIANS MOVING FORWARD 
ON JAPAN'S CORRIDOR FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Japan, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinians 
made further progress on Tokyo's "Corridor for Peace and 
Prosperity" (CPP) initiative at a ministerial meeting in 
Tokyo July 2.  For the first time the parties were able to 
agree on the text of a joint press statement which indicated 
the site for the agro-industrial park which is to be the 
centerpiece of the initiative will be established in Area A 
in Jericho hopefully in early 2009.  Other issues remain 
unresolved.  Japan will contribute funding but the other 
parties also will undertake to find additional sources of 
financing.  The ministers were received by Prime Minister 
Fukuda who underlined Japan's continued commitment to helping 
achieve peace in the Middle East.  On July 3, the ministers 
participated in a public seminar where they shared their 
views on the prospects for peace in the Middle East.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
PROGRESS ON CORRIDOR FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Tokyo was the site July 2-3 for the Third 
Ministerial-Level Meeting of the Four-Party Consultative Unit 
for the Corridor of Peace and Prosperity (CPP).  The meeting 
was hosted by Foreign Minster Yasuhisa Koumura and was 
attended by Palestinian National Authority Minister of 
Planning Dr. Samir Abdallah, Israeli Minister of 
Environmental Protection Gideon Ezra, and Jordanian Minister 
of Foreign Affairs Salaheddine Al-Bashir.  The four agreed 
for the first time on the text of a joint press statement, 
which announced the parties have agreed on the site of the 
agro-industrial park that is the centerpiece of the 
initiative. 
 
¶3. (U) The highlights of the press statement are that the 
project will be constructed in Area A in Jericho with 
possible future expansion in an "adjacent area."  The 
feasibility study for the project being conducted by Japan 
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is targeted for 
completion in November 2008, with the implementation phase of 
the project foreseen to begin "as early as possible" in 2009. 
 Japan will provide an as yet unspecified amount of Official 
Development Assistance (ODA) for the project but the other 
parties undertake to "involve international and regional 
development funds" as well.  The parties stressed the need to 
develop the public-private partnership aspect of the 
initiative and mentioned the creation of a Four-Party 
Agricultural Technical Cooperation plan.  Left unresolved are 
the access routes from Jordan to the agro-industrial park. 
The economic efficiencies and security concerns of the 
proposed routes are still under discussion.  Following the 
meeting, FM Koumura hosted a reception in honor of the 
delegations.  The next day, the delegation heads addressed a 
public seminar on the prospects for peace in the Middle East. 
 
¶4. (U) Prior to the ministerial meeting, the delegation 
leaders were received by Prime Minister Fukuda who welcomed 
them and stressed that the establishment of a viable 
Palestinian state, living in peaceful co-existence and 
co-prosperity with Israel, was indispensable to achieving 
peace in the broader Middle East region.  Abdallah replied 
that cooperation between all the parties, especially Israel, 
is key to success, and called on Israel to make more land 
available to the Palestinians and to ensure access and 
freedom of movement for people and goods.  Ezra called the 
meetings in Japan a model for future peace process 
cooperation, noting it was unthinkable a few years ago that 
such a meeting would be taking place, and said Israel would 
render support to the development of a viable Palestinian 
economy and to the improvement of Palestinian living 
 
TOKYO 00001987  002 OF 003 
 
 
conditions. FM Al-Bashir thanked Fukuda for Japan's support 
and cooperation both to the peace process and to Jordan, 
individually. 
 
-------------------------- 
JAPAN: SUPPORT TO CONTINUE 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) At the public seminar on July 3, Japan's Special Envoy 
for the Middle East, Ambassador Tatsuo Arima made note of the 
many obstacles which have appeared since the Peace Process 
was relaunched at Annapolis, but observed that the process 
continues due to the tenacity of those engaged in 
negotiations on both sides.  He emphasized that Japan will 
continue to give its strongest possible support to both Prime 
Minister Olmert and President Abbas, and that it will persist 
in working with the Palestinians to enhance democratic 
governance capabilities through human resource development, 
the building of government infrastructure, and the 
development of a viable economy. 
 
------------------------------------- 
PALESTINE: ISRAEL MUST RELAX ITS GRIP 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Palestinian Minister of Planning Abdullah thanked 
Japan for its contributions to the Palestinians and explained 
that economic development is a key to the Palestinian vision 
of a free, democratic, progressive state with its capital in 
East Jerusalem.  "Economic prosperity generates hope, and 
hope marginalizes extremism and helps to establish security." 
 He made a pitch for increased foreign investment, citing 
several times a March 2007 World Bank investment climate 
assessment report.  However, he also asserted the growth of 
the Palestinian economy is limited and constrained by the 
Israeli occupation, citing roadblocks, checkpoints, and the 
wall as obstacles to Palestinian movement that limits them 
from using, enjoying, or accessing their lands.  "True 
economic prosperity will come only with true Palestinian 
freedom and statehood -- starting with Israel substantially 
relaxing, and ultimately eliminating, its restrictions on the 
movement of people and goods with Palestine, to Israel, and 
to the rest of the world."  Finally, Abdullah pointed out 
that economic projects and investments in the Palestinian 
territories must be for the benefit of the Palestinians, not 
the Israelis.  "Such projects should loosen and, certainly, 
should not entrench Israeli colonization of Palestinian land." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
ISRAEL: HAMAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING "CALM" 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶7. (U) Israel, said Minister Ezra, believes that with regard 
to Palestine, there is no path other than peace, and there 
can be no other solution than the establishment of two 
national states for two peoples.  This will involve painful 
compromises for both sides he continued.  But despite 
Israel's best efforts to negotiate with the Palestinians, it 
must be remembered that Israel is facing "conflict thirsty" 
neighbors on both southern and northern borders: Hamas and 
Hizbollah, both of which are directly encouraged by Iran. 
Israel has accepted the "calm" with Hamas brokered by Egypt, 
but this cannot be sustained if Hamas simply uses it to 
rearm.  "Terror and smuggling are the two grounds that will 
call for Israeli military action in Gaza," he warned.  Hamas 
bears sole responsibility for everything that occurs in the 
Gaza Strip, and it -- not Israel -- is responsible for the 
maintenance of calm.  Ezra also reminded the audience that no 
real progress to alleviate pressure on Gaza can be 
contemplated without Hamas addressing the issue of abducted 
 
TOKYO 00001987  003 OF 003 
 
 
soldier Gilad Shalit.  Ezra also touched upon the threat to 
Israel posed by Iran, stating that its progress toward 
developing a nuclear weapon is unacceptable and must be 
stopped immediately, preferably by international diplomatic 
efforts.  Finally, he positively noted recent developments on 
the Syria-Israel track which are being mediated by Turkey. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
JORDAN: ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DISPUTE IS CORE ISSUE 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8. (U) Jordan believes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is 
the core issue in the Middle East and is a major source for 
all other problems in the region, said Jordanian Foreign 
Minister Al-Bashir.  Accordingly, Japan's CPP initiative must 
be acted upon as quickly as possible, as it aims to establish 
a solid relation between peace and security on the one hand, 
and improvement of living conditions on the other.  In 
addition to expressing deep appreciation to Japan, Al-Bashir 
also emphasized the promises that were made in Annapolis must 
be delivered upon, and warned that the continuation of 
settlement activity greatly risks the ongoing negotiations in 
addition to fueling the seeds of doubt in the hearts and 
minds of many as to the seriousness of the peace effort. 
Al-Bashir also subtly noted that all components of the 
initiative, including the rehabilitation of the "Prince 
Mohammad Bridge" and the construction of a new cargo airstrip 
in Jordan -- both aspects of the CPP initiative that are the 
most important to Jordan, and the ones that have yet to be 
agreed upon -- must be included in the final plan in order to 
serve the mutual interests of all the parties involved. 
 
 
 
 
ZUMWALT