LOC01:03
22:03 GMT
AMMAN, Dec 26 (KUNA) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of moving Japan embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Japan believes that the Hoy City is one of the final status issues on the agenda of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, so the future of the city can be determined only through direct negotiations, he said.
Minister Kono, now on a visit to Jordan, made the comments during his two meetings with Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
The talks focused on the developments in the Middle East, including Jerusalem, as well as bilateral issues.
The Japanese guest said his country shares view with the Kingdom of Jordan that the final status issues, including Jerusalem, can be resolved through direct negotiations not unilateral moves.
Japan supports the international efforts to resolve the Middle East conflict based on the two-state vision and the relevant UN resolutions, he said, noting that these resolutions consider East Jerusalem as an occupied territory.
For his part, Prime Minister Al-Mulki said the Holy City is a political issue of concern to the entire Muslim world.
He reiterated Jordan's rejection of the recent US decision to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel, affirming that this move runs contrary to the international legitimacy.
On the bilateral ties, he appreciated Japan's technical assistance to the Kingdom to meet its humanitarian and economic needs.
He highlighted economic challenges and burdens facing Jordan due to instability in the Middle East region, particularly in Syria.
He said the Jordanian government was looking forward to support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to establish a training center in the field of technology to provide qualitative training for young job seekers in Jordan.
During his meeting with the Japanese minister, Safadi stressed the need to abide by international resolutions relating to Jerusalem that nullify any unilateral moves to change the legal and historic status quo in the Holy City.
He briefed his Japanese guest on Jordan's role to protect Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Safadi highlighted the need of a collective international effort to re-launch the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks based on the two-state vision for establishing an independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967, borderlines with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Kono hailed Jordan's efforts to restore peace, security and stability to the Middle East.
Tokyo appreciates Jordan's efforts in hosting large numbers of Syria and Palestinian refugees, he said, pledging that Japan will continue providing technical help to the infrastructure projects in the northern governorates of Jordan.
The two sides agreed to pursue cooperation to address regional crises and combat terrorism, the statement added. (end)
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