Peace Boat will host the first Northeast Asia regional consultation meeting on the role of the civil society in the prevention of armed conflicts. Participants come from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, the Far East of Russia and Japan. This meeting is convened in partnership between Peace Boat, APA (Asian Peace Alliance) and the ECCP (European Centre for Conflict Prevention).

The meeting will seek to identify main partners in the region of Northeast Asia who can work together in the preparatory process for the international conference and the regional civil society network on conflict prevention. The Regional Steering Committee to be appointed at this meeting will coordinate further activities and organize a Regional Conference on "The Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of Armed Conflict" in autumn 2004.

Participants will discuss the following issues, identified as potential armed conflicts or situations which threaten to further deepen the crisis in Northeast Asia: the Crisis of the Korean Peninsula; China-Taiwan cross-straits issue; Northern Territories dispute between Japan and Russia; Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution under threat; the dispatch of troops to Iraq by Japan and the Republic of Korea. Other topics will include current activities of civil society on armed conflict prevention in Northeast Asia, visions for improvements, a possible action plan and practical steps towards the organization of the Regional Conference.

Within the framework of the Consultative Meeting, the following event will be open to the public: February 7, 2004 - organized by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, " The Role for NGOs in Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC and civil society in peace building in North-East Asia".

Speakers:

• Dr.Hanifa Mezoui, Chief of NGO section of UN ECOSOC
• Prof. Lee Jong Won of International Relations, Rikkyo University.