Japan's special Middle East envoy Yutaka Iimura on Sunday conferred with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on the prospects of resuming peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel, an official statement said, according to dpa. Judeh told the Japanese emissary that Tokyo had "an important role to play in current efforts aimed at pushing forward the peace process in the region". He said that a "real opportunity" existed for the establishment of peace in the region as represented by the existence of an "international consensus" on the need for a settlement on the basis of the two-state vision. "The Japanese envoy praised the efforts being exerted by Jordan's King Abdullah II toward the establishment of just, durable and comprehensive peace in the region," the statement said. Iimura, who assumed his post on July 15, is in the region to exchange views with senior government officials regarding the situation in the Middle East with focus on then Middle East peace process and ongoing efforts to re-launch negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbours, the Japanese foreign ministry said. In addition to Jordan, his 12-day tour also includes Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Syria.
