RAMALLAH, Tuesday, December 22, 2020 (WAFA) – Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riyad Al-Malki today called on Portugal to recognize the independent State of Palestine.
Speaking in a joint press conference with his Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva in Ramallah, al-Malki called on Portugal to support the two-state solution by recognizing the independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also called on the European country to support the Palestinian demand to start negotiations in order to reach a full partnership agreement with the European Union.
Palestine has very good relations with Portugal, a friendly state which supports the Palestinian people’s rights and the Palestinian question, said al-Malki.
He pointed that he touched upon the role the EU could play with regards to the Middle East, particularly that Portugal will assume the chairmanship of the bloc on January 1, 2021, and demanded the EU take a clear position on the Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Portuguese diplomat affirmed his country’s position in support of the peace process based on the two-state solution and the establishment of the independent, viable and geographically contiguous Palestinian state.
Silva stressed the need for ending all illegal unilateral Israeli policies, including colonial settlement construction and home demolitions as a prelude for engaging in direct Palestinian-Israeli talks.
He expressed his belief that the new US administration, which would assume office in January, would open a new window for the Mideast peace process, and pointed that he counts on the EU in terms of helping in finding a resolution to the conflict, in a manner which leads to two states living side by side and fulfils the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights and aspirations.
During his speech, the top Palestinian diplomat renewed Palestine’s readiness to return to negotiations based on the approved international terms of reference.
He affirmed the Palestinian position that a genuine peace process and serious negotiations should be launched in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, international law, and signed agreements and in line with President Mahmoud Abbas’ vision on convening an international peace conference.
He also affirmed Palestine’s commitment to all relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative on the two-state solution, conducive to an end to the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Emphasizing the importance of multilateralism, al-Maliki welcomed any international efforts to assist the Quartet in sponsoring the peace process, whether it is through the participation of Arab countries, or through the “Munich formula”, that includes Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany.
On Palestinian relations with the US, he stressed Palestine’s readiness to resume the relationship with the new US administration, based on recent preliminary contacts and the declared positions of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
K.T./ K.F.
