An international conference on the Middle East's environment, scheduled for the end of this month in Tunisia, will almost certainly be canceled due to a slower pace of progress in the revived regional peace process than initially expected.
This prospect has left Japanese officials in charge of the Middle Eastern affairs feeling as if they have been faked out, because they believe the Japanese-chaired conference would have provided them yet another good chance to demonstrate Japan's determination to make active contributions to regional peace.
"Japan wants the meeting to be held at the end of this month as scheduled," a senior Foreign Ministry official said, requesting anonymity. "But objectively speaking, that will be almost impossible under the current circumstances (surrounding the Middle East peace process)."