Visiting Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba on Wednesday stressed the need for the Palestinians to hold a direct dialogue with Israel to move ahead with stalled peace negotiations, Japanese government officials said.
During his meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the Jordanian capital of Amman, Genba said the most important thing is to resolve problems through direct talks, the officials said.
Expressing his gratitude for Japan's political involvement and efforts to engage Israel, Abbas mentioned the possibility of the Palestinian Authority applying for full membership in the United Nations as a sovereign state, depending on Israel's response, and said he wants to consult with Japan and other relevant nations on that issue, the officials said.