Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad urged Japan on Tuesday to play a bigger role in the Middle East peace process.
Syria’s official television, according to KUNA, reported that al-Assad’s remarks came as he was receiving visiting Japanese envoy to the region, Tatsuo Arima.
It stated that the meeting reviewed the situation in the region as well as ideas on the table aimed at defusing the situation. "Japan should play an active and serious role in attempts to reach peace in the region," al-Assad said.
The television added that al-Assad emphasized that it is in Damascus’ best interest that stability and peace in the region be achieved, however noted that the “strive towards peace” ought to be “very clear and direct”.
Earlier Tuesday, Arima said, following talks with Syrian foreign minister Faroq al-Shara, that Tokyo aimed to play a more active role in efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.
"Japan wants to play a more effective, more active and more serious role for peace" in the Mid-East region, Tatsuo Arima told reporters. "There is international unanimity on the need to achieve Middle East peace, " the Japanese envoy expressed. (albawaba.com)
