Foreign Minister of Slovenia Miro Cerar said today that there is consensus in Slovenia on the issue of recognition of the State of Palestine and that Slovenia will do that once a group of European Union member states are ready to do so.
He noted during a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Malki at the headquarters of the Slovenian Foreign Ministry in the capital, Ljubljana, to his government’s willingness to develop bilateral relations with Palestine in all fields, especially in the economic sphere.
Cerar confirmed that the Slovenian position was firm and would not change, and that the Slovenian Government would continue to support Palestine, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
For his part, Malki briefed his Slovenian counterpart on the latest developments in the region, particularly with regard to the Palestinian cause and the so-called deal of the century, and the negative effects of the Bahrain workshop held last month.
Malki, who is touring a number of Central European countries, asserted the importance of boosting bilateral relations with Slovenia in various fields as a friendly country and supporter of Palestine, stressing the importance of the formation of a joint ministerial committee in this framework and inviting businessmen from both countries to meet on the sidelines of this committee.
He thanked Slovenia for its positive and supportive attitude towards the Palestinian government and people, especially in international forums, the continued support for development projects and the UNRWA.
The two sides discussed the recognition of the State of Palestine and its importance in strengthening the Palestinian position in its efforts to reach a permanent peace solution.
