RAMALLAH, August 24, 2013 (WAFA) – French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrives in Ramallah shortly before noon Saturday for an official short visit during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister-designate Rami Hamdallah.

Fabius will start his visit in Ramallah with a meeting with Hamdallah during which France and Palestine will sign a cooperation agreement.

He will then travel to the presidential compound for a meeting with Abbas and later meet with members of the Palestinian civil society.

A French foreign ministry statement said Fabius, who will also visit Israel on Sunday and meet Israeli officials, will take this opportunity to encourage the Palestinians and Israelis to continue on the path of direct negotiations and will convey France’s determination to support these efforts until an agreement is reached that would end the conflict.

Fabius will also stress France’s full support for Palestinian development, particularly the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, said the statement.

M.S.