JAPANESE JUSTICE MINISTER SEIKEN SUGIURA CONFERRED MONDAY WITH JORDANIAN MINISTERS ON THE PROSPECTS OF SECURITY COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES PARTICULARLY IN COMBATTING TERRORISM, DPA REPORTED. SUGIURA MET WITH JORDANIAN INTERIOR MINISTER EID AL-FAYEZ, WHO BRIEFED THE JAPANESE MINISTER ON "MEASURES TAKEN BY JORDAN FOR FIGHTING TERRORISM AS A PIVOTAL ELEMENT IN THE COUNTRY'S STRATEGIC THINKING", AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT SAID. "THE INTERIOR MINISTRY HAS FINALISED THE DRAFTING OF AN ANTI- TERRORISM LAW THAT PUNISHES WOULD-BE TERRORISTS BEFORE VIRTUALLY COMMITTING THE CRIMES IN A BID TO PREVENT ACTS OF TERRORISM THAT THREATEN JORDAN'S SECURITY AND STABILITY," THE STATEMENT QUOTED AL- FAYEZ AS TELLING SUGIURA. THE JORDANIAN MINISTER URGED THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO SUPPLY JORDAN WITH "SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT" REQUIRED TO DETECT SUSPECTED TERRORISTS TRYING TO ENTER JORDAN THROUGH BORDERS WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, THE STATEMENT SAID. THE JAPANESE MINISTER "UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF JORDAN'S ROLE IN THE ERADICATION OF TERRORISM" AND COMMENDED AMMAN'S EFFORTS THAT LED TO THE RELEASE OF THE JAPANESE CITIZENS WHO WERE ABDUCTED IN IRAQ IN 2004, IT ADDED. SUGIURA WAS IN AMMAN TO TAKE PART IN THE WORLD UNDERSTANDING COUNCIL CONFERENCE DUE TO OPEN AT THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE DEAD SEA TUESDAY. THE JAPANESE MINISTER SAID HE WAS INTERESTED IN "LISTENING TO THE VIEWPOINTS OF JORDANIAN OFFICIALS REGARDING THE NEW DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES", THE STATEMENT SAID. -
