Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� October, 2003

Members of the Japan-Egypt Joint Workshop for Medical Assistance for Iraq Pay Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Friday, October 17, 2003 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi received a courtesy call from the members of the Japan-Egypt Joint Workshop for Medical Assistance for Iraq at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. This May, Prime Minister Koizumi held talks with Mr. Muhammad Hosny Mubarak, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, upon his visit to Egypt. At the meeting, the two leaders agreed on Japan and Egypt to jointly implement medical cooperation for Iraq as humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. Those who visited the Prime Minister's Official Residence this time are the doctors from Iraq and Egypt conducting medical activities jointly with Japan in Iraq. Prime Minister Koizumi emphasized the importance of the cooperation of the two nations on medical assistance by saying, "There are things that Japan can do alone, but it is more effective if we can get assistance from Egypt." Mr. Kalad H. A. Al-Abyde, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health of Iraq, who also visited Prime Minister Koizumi, expressed his gratitude by saying, "On behalf of the people of Iraq, I would like to give my appreciation for the efforts of the Government of Japan for the reconstruction of Iraq."