Visiting Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu (left) with Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah. (WAFA photo/Maan Khalifeh) 

RAMALLAH, October 25, 2017 (WAFA) - Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah discussed on Wednesday at his office in Ramallah joint cooperation with visiting Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu and ways to enhance it.

Hamdallah stressed in the meeting attended by Foreign Minister Riyad Malki the strong bilateral relations between Palestine and Romania, praising the support Romania has provided to the Palestinian education and civil defense sectors.

He pointed to the need to convene their joint committee and cooperate in the economic field, particularly the construction of industrial zones, in addition to the energy sector.

The prime minister briefed the Romanian foreign minister on the violations of the Israeli occupation, particularly the continued settlement expansion, pointing out that the settlements destroy the two-state solution and kill any opportunity for peace.

He called on Romania to recognize the Palestinian state as a practical step to support the two-state solution, reminding the visiting official that all international reports witness to the readiness of the Palestinian state institutions.

Hamdallah also reviewed with his Romanian guest the latest regarding national reconciliation, efforts to reunite the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and empowering the government to carry out its tasks in Gaza and run its affairs.

Foreign Minister Malki had earlier hosted Melescanu at his Ramallah office.

He told his Romanian counterpart that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the main obstacle to peace in the region. He said Netanyahu‘s government does everything it can to kill the two-state solution.

M.K.