By Falestine Al-Remawi

RAMALLAH, February 9, 2011 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday met with Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez in Ramallah.

Abbas informed the visiting minister of the latest developments concerning the stalled peace process due to Israeli government's refusal to stop settlement activities on the Palestinian Territory.

He pointed out the importance of ending repeated Israeli violations towards the Palestinians, mainly turning East Jerusalem into a Jewish city, demolishing houses, displacing Palestinians, ongoing siege on Gaza, illegal building of settlements and the Apartheid Wall.

Abbas asked the European Union and Spain in particular to play a bigger role in peace process beside their significant economic role in the region.

He commended the Spanish government’s support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and pointed out the importance of developing their bilateral relations.

Jimenez assured Abbas of her country’s continuing political and economic support to the PA.

She said the Spanish government understands the significance of resuming negotiations as well as freezing settlements and the two- state solution based on the pre-June 1967 borders.

Jimenez praised the PA’s efforts to complete building and improving its institutions in preparation for the declaration of the state.

The Spanish Foreign Minister earlier met with her counterpart Riyad Malki and reviewed Palestinian-Spanish cooperation in various fields.

They discussed training Palestinian diplomats in Madrid and providing scholarships to Palestinian students in Spanish universities.

The Spanish government pledged to support the PA with $346.5 million over the next three years, finance many development projects and contribute with the European countries in supporting PA’s budget of €20 million.

Palestine and Spain have a joint committee which meets once every three years at the level of foreign ministers to discuss political and economic relations between the two countries.

F.R./M.A