10/20/2014
Dialogue and Human-to-Human Interaction Key to Strengthening Arab-Japan Ties: Ambassador spoke at International Bar Association meeting

In the world that is rapidly changing and ceaselessly exposed to serious challenges, continuous dialogue based on mutual respect and trust should be ever more important for eliminating excessive bias and misperception on certain societies and values and deepening mutual understanding among us.

H.E. Mr. Abdulrahman Humoud Al-Otaibi, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Japan stated in his special remarks on behalf of the participants at the Arab Regional Forum luncheon, a special program held during the Annual Conference of the International Bar Association held in Tokyo on October 19 to 24, 2014.

The Opening Ceremony of the Annual Conference was honored with the honorable attendance by Their Imperial Highnesses the Emperor and Empress of Japan. The Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abe delivered a welcome address to participants at the ceremony.

In the remarks, Ambassador Al-Otaibi stressed the importance of holding this kind of gathering in such a timely manner in Tokyo especially when the Middle East is experiencing such serious destruction and crimes against humanity.

Throughout the modern history, Ambassador Al-Otaibi claimed, the Arabs and Japan joined ranks to tackle the issues of mutual concerns, not limited to oil trading and economic development, but such mutual interests also expanded to the matters of regional security and stabilization in the Middle East.

Furthermore, Ambassador Al-Otaibi highlighted the importance of candid and sincere dialogue among the societies to promote mutual understanding, showcasing the relationship between Japan and the Arab states. The success of bolstering amicable relationship between the two sides should owe to the persistent endeavors of the both sides, involving all the concerned sectors such as the government, business, education and culture, seeking for ever higher exaltation of human, material, and value exchanges.

To conclude the remarks, Ambassador Al-Otaibi touched upon special interactions between the State of Kuwait and Japan observed at the times of adversity in each country, namely, the Iraqi invasion to Kuwait in 1990 followed by the liberation in 1991 and the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011. In both cases, each country did not show hesitation to deliver quick aids, and the contribution continued in various shapes aftermath, Ambassador stressed.

Ambassador called upon the participants, who are intellectuals and professionals of legal affairs, to pay tribute to strengthen the exchange of knowledge between Japan and the Arab World on the human-to-human basis. Such a call impressed the participants and the floor was filled with applause.