BRUSSELS, Tuesday, January 23, 2024 (WAFA) - On the sidelines of the European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad al-Malki Tuesday held separate meetings with the Foreign Ministers of France, Cyprus, Poland, Sweden and Spain.
During his meeting with Stephane Sejourne, the French foreign affairs minister, Malki discussed the Palestinian diplomatic efforts exerted in various international forums to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli genocide committed against the defenseless Palestinian people.
Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to a Palestinian state, the French minister said: “The declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu are worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all.”
For his part, Maliki stressed the importance of demanding a ceasefire and briefed the minister on the massacre committed this morning by Israel in the city of Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, stressing the responsibility of the international community to pressure Israel to stop the aggression to prevent the situation from deteriorating in the region.
Malki addressed the same topics during a separate meeting with his Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski.
He called for international pressure on Israel to achieve a ceasefire, which he stressed would put an end to the aggression, allow humanitarian aid to enter on an ever-increasing scale and create the opportunity to talk about the post-war future.
For his part, Minister Sikorski emphasized that Poland has recognized the State of Palestine since the 80s and praised the depth of Polish-Palestinian bilateral relations.
He stressed that the Polish people understand the plight of the Palestinian people because they were also victims of circumstances in which they lost parts of their lands.
Malki tackled the same issues during a separate meeting with Constantinos Kombos, the foreign minister of Cyprus, and highlighted the initial idea of creating a water corridor to secure access to increased humanitarian aid to the Strip.
Cyprus’s minister stressed that Cyprus’s position will remain unchanged and consistent concerning the Palestinian issue and the two-state solution, affirming its commitment to international law and its opposition to any attempts to displace Palestinians forcibly from the Gaza Strip or any change to the international consensus for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.
Kombos also affirmed Cyprus's position in support of a ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian crisis in the Strip, stressing that Cyprus and the Palestinian side will deliberate and agree upon the initial idea of establishing a water corridor to promote the delivery of a significant amount of humanitarian aid to the Strip before any measures are undertaken.
Malki also met separately with the Foreign Ministers of Sweden and Spain, during which he addressed the same issues.
The importance of intensifying international efforts to mobilize an active stance that leads to an end to the escalation and limits its disastrous impact was also underscored during the meetings.
Malki stressed that a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution is the only credible way to protect the region from a conflict spillover and to ensure security and peace in the entire region.
For his part, the Swedish minister expressed concern over the catastrophic situation in Gaza, stating that Sweden supports a ceasefire and has increased humanitarian aid to the Strip.
He further expressed deep concern over the escalation of colonists’ violence and colonial expansion in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Malki also discussed during his meeting with the Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, the latest developments as a result of the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and the dimensions of the catastrophe that has befallen Palestinians in Gaza.
He also stressed the importance of intensifying international efforts to end the suffering and reach an immediate ceasefire.
Maiki stressed that a just and comprehensive peace can only be achieved through the application of the principle of the two-state solution and the embodiment of a Palestinian state on the ground, which he stressed is the right path to protect the entire region and avoid further violence and chaos.
T.R.
