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2017 February 15 - 21 [JCP]

This week’s JCP international activities

Shii meets with Vietnamese ambassador

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on February 15 met with Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong at the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo, offering JCP cooperation toward achieving the success of an antinuke UN conference to be held in March in NYC.

Shii said that the JCP has cooperated with Vietnam on various occasions in the international arena, and that the party hopes to promote closer ties with Vietnam which has long been an advocate for the establishment of an international convention banning nuclear weapons.

The ambassador said Vietnam has been consistent in its policy of working to eliminate nuclear weapons. In order for the international community to give shape to the Nuclear Weapons Convention as early as possible, the country will continue to pursue cooperation with committed governments and civil society.

Shii holds talks with Philippine acting ambassador

JCP Chair Shii on February 15 held talks with Charge d’Affairs of the Philippines Eduardo Martin Menez at the Embassy of the Philippines in Tokyo, and asked for the country’s continued effort to work for a successful NWC conference scheduled for March in the UN Headquarters.

Shii expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ longstanding role in pursuing a nuclear weapons-free world, noting that Libran Cabactulan, permanent representative of the Philippines at the UN, presided over the 2010 NPT Review Conference. Shii recollected meeting with Cabactulan that year in NYC and expressed his hope that the Philippines, which holds the ASEAN presidency in 2017, will take a leading role in the March UN conference.

The acting ambassador said that a successful NWC conclusion and a nuclear weapons abolition are very important and that he will convey the JCP request to the government of the Philippines.

Shii to Venezuelan ambassador: Let’s enhance mutual cooperation on N-ban treaty

On February 17, JCP Chair Shii visited Venezuelan Ambassador Seiko Ishikawa at the Embassy of Venezuela in Tokyo to inform him that the JCP is ready to offer its cooperation to Venezuela, the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, to achieve the success of the March UN conference.

The ambassador in response said that Venezuela also seeks collaboration from the standpoint of aiming at the early conclusion of the NWC, and that he will convey the JCP request to Venezuela.

The ambassador talked about peace education at home and how Hiroshima and Nagasaki Hibakusha, who have been invited to Venezuela, share their stories so that Venezuelans, including school children, can understand the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.

Shii expressed appreciation for the ambassador’s attendance at the JCP 27th Congress in January. The ambassador congratulated Shii on the success of the JCP congress.

Shii requests Salvadoran cooperation toward success of N-ban treaty

JCP Chair Shii on February 20 met with the ambassador of El Salvador to Japan, Martha Lidia Zelayandia, at the Embassy of El Salvador in Tokyo and requested El Salvador’s help in bringing about the success of the UN conference on nuclear weapons in March.

Shii referred to the January statement of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which expresses support for the holding of the March conference and calls on CELAC member states for their active participation. He also said that the JCP hopes to strengthen cooperation with the current CELAC host country of El Salvador.

The ambassador expressed concern over the fact that about 15,000 nuclear weapons still exist in the world and emphasized the importance of their total abolition. She then said she will convey the JCP request to the country.

Shii offered a word of thanks to the ambassador for attending the JCP 27th Congress in January. The ambassador responded by saying that she felt it very meaningful to see other opposition party leaders appearing on the JCP stage, and congratulated Shii on the success of the Congress.