JCP representatives and senior Egyptian officials agree on opposition to U.S. war on Iraq

Japanese Communist Party International Bureau Director Ogata Yasuo, who is visiting Middle East countries on an diplomatic mission on behalf of the JCP, met with senior Egyptian officials in Cairo on October 19 to discuss cooperation between the JCP and the Egyptian government in opposition to military attacks on Iraq.

At the Egyptian foreign ministry, Ogata held talks with Mahmoud Mubarak, assistant minister for foreign affairs of Egypt. He stated that a U.S. attack on Iraq will be in defiance of international law and the U.N. Charter.

Mubarak commended the JCP delegation's activity in the region and emphasized that there are three conditions that are necessary for averting a war: Iraq must accept U.N. inspections; the U.N. inspections team must be guaranteed freedom of activity; Iraq must destroy all weapons of mass destruction if the existence of such weapons is confirmed by the inspectors.

When Ogata said that an attack on Iraq will be in open defiance of the U.N. Charter as well as international law, Mubarak responded by stating that no new U.N. Security Council resolution will legitimatize attacks on Iraq. Egypt will continue to oppose any military strikes against Iraq, he added.

JCP representatives and Mubarak agreed that they will continue to keep in touch to develop common efforts to prevent attacks on Iraq and ensure stability in the Middle East.

Earlier in the day, Ogata held talks with Ahmad Abuzeid, the Egyptian People's Assembly Arab Affairs Committee chair, in the assembly hall in Cairo.

Abuzeid said that if the U.S. Bush administration makes a preemptive strike against Iraq, other countries will follow the U.S. lead and the whole world will become a lawless place.

He was concerned that a war against Iraq would bring immeasurable damage to Egypt and the whole of the Middle East, and he pointed out that the important thing is to resolve the region's conflicts including the question of Palestine, by political means.

Ogata said the JCP will do its utmost to develop relations between Japan and Egypt.

Abuzeid expressed his gratitude for the JCP representatives' visit and wished that Japan will play a positive role in forming an international order based on equality and justice.

Ogata and Abuzeid promised that they will make joint efforts to prevent a war against Iraq and establish a peaceful order in the world. (end)