Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphédinsson and Dr. Riad Al Malki, the foreign minister of the Palestinian home rule, signed an agreement in Ramallah last night on the political cooperation between the two states.
Össur Skarphédinsson (left) and Dr. Riad Al Malki. Courtesy of the Icelandic Foreign Ministry.
The agreement involves the establishment of an Icelandic-Palestinian committee of cooperation in the fields of economy, development, culture, trade and education, a press release from Iceland’s Foreign Ministry states.
Skarphédinsson also declared that the Icelandic government will support the proposal on Palestinian independence when it is submitted at the United Nations.
Skarphédinsson presented Dr. Al Malki with a declaration that the position of Palestine’s representative office towards Iceland be changed to a mission office.
At their meeting in Ramallah the ministers discussed the peace negotiation process between Palestine and Israel and the recent agreement in Palestine on a joint government by the Fatah and Hamas organizations.
Skarphédinsson stressed the importance of Palestinians reaching reconciliation on the creation of a national government as disputes undermine the united spirit of the Palestinian nation and make it difficult for friendly nations to support Palestine’s cause.
The minister also stated that his demand that Israel lift their blockade in Gaza immediately is peremptory; he saw its horrible consequences for himself when he visited the region on Wednesday.
Click here to read more about the minister’s official visit the Middle East.
