Palestinian minister seeks stronger ties with Japanese firms

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TOKYO, Dec. 18 Kyodo -
The Palestinian Authority seeks to strengthen ties with Japanese companies,
although business conditions in the economy are severe due to the political
situation involving Israel, Palestine planning minister Ali Jarbawi said during
a recent interview with Kyodo News.
The minister of planning and administrative development, who recently visited
Japan, also said his economy has the potential to become ''a hub for the whole
Middle East'' when the Israeli occupation ends in areas where Palestinians hope
to establish a state, and that foreign investment would help in ending the
occupation.
''We want to establish a strong relationship with the private sector in
Japan,'' Jarbawi said, but at the same time expressed understanding over the
hesitance seen among large companies to go and invest because of the difficult
political situation.
He said the Palestinian economy has been a ''captive'' one, with the West Bank
having around 500 checkpoints that make it difficult for Palestinians to freely
move goods and products from one area to another.
''The economy is developing this year by eight and a half percent gross
domestic production...we know that if the occupation ends, the eight and a half
will be a two-digit number,'' Jarbawi said, adding that there is a good
education system and skilled workers.
''We hope that we can convince international businesses in spite of the
political situation of the occupation...that they will come and invest in
Palestine because we see in it as a way to help us end the occupation,'' he
said.
The interview was conducted in late November when he was visiting Japan along
with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
Japan supports a two-state solution whereby Israel and a future independent
Palestinian state will coexist and prosper together. Japan's assistance to the
Palestinian people has exceeded $1.1 billion in total since 1993, according to
the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
==Kyodo
2010-12-18 23:07:01