Shii talks with senior official of Kazakh Foreign Ministry

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Shii talks with senior official of Kazakh Foreign Ministry

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on September 24 visited the Kazakh Foreign Ministry and talked with Rustem Kurmanguzhin of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Kurmanguzhin explained in detail that Kazakhstan is making efforts for the development of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). He stressed the CICA's role to foster an atmosphere to solve various issues as a conference participated in by both sides of nations or regions involved in conflicts, including Israel and Palestine as well as India and Pakistan.

Shii commented that in addition to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South East Asia (TAC) which covers an increasing number of countries beyond members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the effort to develop the CICA is aimed at creating a community to maintain peace by inviting new members and encouraging dialogue and mutual trust. "It is a promising effort," he added.

The JCP chair stated that Kazakhstan and Japan have both suffered tremendous damages caused by nuclear weapons and he hopes to see global cooperation for the abolition of such weapons. Criticizing the former Soviet Union for adding another blemish to its history of hegemony and autocracy by turning the Kazakh land into a nuclear testing site, he expressed his will to cooperate with Kazakhstan to provide assistance to the victims.

Kurmanguzhin thanked Shii for showing concerns for the victims of nuclear tests. He expressed his hope for his government to develop cooperation with the U.N. and Japan on this matter.

- Akahata, September 25, 2009