[Title] Statement by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Koji Kakizawa at the Ministerial Conference on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Cambodia

1. It is a great pleasure for Japan, as the host country of this Conference, and also as a country in Asia, which has deeply been involved in the Cambodia peace process, that a large number of countries and international organizations are gathered here to renew and further strengthen their commitment to the Cambodia peace process. We all have the will and desire to contribute to realizing peace and prosperity in Cambodia.

I should like to take this occasion to pay my deepest respect to His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk, who, as the driving force of the peace process, is making unceasing efforts for national reconciliation, and to Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who is tasked with an unprecedented undertaking in U.N. history.

2. The main theme of this Ministerial Conference is rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia. Since the Paris Conference of 1989 countries and international organizations willing to make contribution for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia have held sincere discussion on the subject and endeavored to come up with concrete plans. At the Paris Conference held last October, the "Declaration on the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Cambodia" was adopted as a document providing basis for developing plans and programs for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the country. For this conference, a report was prepared jointly by the UNDP, the World Bank, the IMF and the ADB with a view to providing a useful basis for identifying the priority areas for rehabilitation and reconstruction. Holding of this conference would not have been possible without the sincere aspirations on the part of all those concerned, and is a reflection of their unfaltering commitment to providing assistance to Cambodia.

3. Japan, for its part, has actively been studying concrete ways of making contribution. We dispatched several survey teams since immediately after the Peace Accord was reached and tried to understand and assess the economic and social conditions of Cambodia as well as the rehabilitation and reconstruction needs. Based on the results of these surveys, and taking note of the appeal of the Secretary-General of the United Nations issued in April, Japan intends to extend necessary cooperation to the projects for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia which need to be commenced with in the coming several years. In doing so, Japan will continue its efforts on the humanitarian assistance it has made thus far and also endeavor to make a target contribution of $150 to $200 million, out of the $600 million deemed necessary in the U.N. Secretary-General's appeal, which is to be used in the areas such as the improvement of basic infrastructure, health and medical care, agriculture and human resources development. In proceeding with assistance on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia, Japan wishes to pursue the possibility of cooperating with Cambodia's neighbors, especially the ASEAN countries, with a view to utilizing their expertise and experience.

4. In order to make an effective progress in the implementation of full-scale reconstruction programs in Cambodia, it is essential to have a close coordination among the countries and international organizations concerned, and extensive policy dialogues with the Cambodian side. This perception is reflected in the Declaration adopted at the Paris Conference. The Paris Declaration talks of the establishment of the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia (ICORC) as a coordinating mechanism of medium-to long-term reconstruction assistance. Should the ICORC be established, Japan is prepared to chair the Committee in close collaboration with the countries and international organizations concerned.

5. When we address the issue of rehabilitation and reconstruction in Cambodia, we cannot forget the role of NGOs. Volunteers from a large number of countries have been active in all regions of Cambodia for many years since prior to the achievement of peace, particularly in providing humanitarian assistance in areas such as medicine, education and vocational training. These NGOs shall, without doubt, continue to play an important role in the forthcoming process of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Just as we have the participation of the representatives of NGOs at this conference, it is hoped that collaboration with and assistance toward NGOs are enhanced in the future.

6. As stated in the "Declaration on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Cambodia", rehabilitation and reconstruction should benefit all Cambodians equally. At the same time, they are awesome undertakings which require the participation of, as well as the concentration of the wisdom and toil of every Cambodian individual. We cannot but express our serious concern regarding recent situation where progress in the implementation of the peace process is impeded due to the lack of cooperation by one Cambodian party. Japan strongly urges all the Cambodian parties to offer full cooperation swiftly to UNTAC with a view to holding free and fair elections in accordance with the Paris Peace Accord. Economic assistance to Cambodia contributes to the stability of the Cambodian society by improving the welfare and living standards of its people, and the politicization of this task must strictly be avoided.

7. In order for UNTAC to accomplish its tasks, it is imperative that necessary assistance by the international community be secured. Japan will make appropriate contributions to UNTAC. We are now undergoing the procedure to make the necessary expenditure and we hope to pay by the end of this month our assessed contribution amounting to $75 million out of $600 million which was approved last month as the necessary cost for financing UNTAC. At the same time, Japan intends to work toward making contribution to UNTAC in terms of personnel.

8. Cambodia has been left out of the main current of growth and development in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. This not only cast a dreary shadow over the political stability of the region as a whole, but also compelled terrible sacrifice on that part of Cambodians within and without their country. Now, however, the common desire of the international community to establish a truly durable peace in Cambodia is directly reaching out to the people of the country. I should like to close my statement by expressing clearly our strong hope that all Cambodians expend their own efforts toward this end, and our strong determination that we, on our part, shall never be remiss in our efforts at providing the necessary assistance.