CIARO, Thursday, February 28, 2019 (WAFA) –Czech Republic Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek affirmed his country’s commitment to the United Nations’ resolutions on Jerusalem, in a way overriding an earlier statement by the Czech president who vowed to move his country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In a letter addressed to president of the Arab Parliament Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami, Petricek reiterated his country’s commitment to the United Nations and UN Security Council’s resolutions on Jerusalem.

He also affirmed in the letter his country’s respect for the European Union Foreign Affairs Council’s resolutions, including resolutions on the two-state solution based on direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

He noted that the Czech Republic was holding high-level talks with the Palestinian and Israeli parties, stressing his country’s longstanding historic and strategic relations with Arab countries.

Petricek’s letter came in response to a letter from Al-Salami calling on the Czech Republic not to relocate its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and not to prejudice the historical and legal status of the occupied city of Jerusalem.

On November 14, 2018, Petricek confirmed during a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki in Ramallah that his country’s position on Jerusalem was in line with international law and the EU position.

The controversy over the Czech Republic’s position on Jerusalem started in November 2018 when President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman expressed hopes that the inauguration of the Czech House in Jerusalem would constitute the “first step in the plan to move the Czech embassy to Jerusalem.”

East Jerusalem is a part of the internationally recognized Palestinian territories that has been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.

K.F./M.K.