President Mahmoud Abbas today told his Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides during a meeting at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah that the international community must put a stop to Israel’s behavior as a state above the law. After reviewing the guard of honor while the Palestinian and Cypriot national anthems were played, the two leaders held talks on strengthening bilateral relations and discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian issue, as well as efforts by the far-right Israeli government to destroy all hopes for peace and stability in the region. After the meeting, the President told reporters, “We welcome the important visit of President Christodoulides to Palestine, which is an important opportunity to strengthen the relations of friendship and joint cooperation between our two friendly countries and peoples.” He added, “We also look forward to activating the joint ministerial committee and expanding cooperation in various fields, including trade, tourism, and economic cooperation,” appreciating the scholarships offered by Cyprus to Palestinian students. The President expressed his appreciation for the important political role played by Cyprus within the framework of the European Union to achieve peace in accordance with United Nations resolutions, and said: “We look forward to complementing this vital role by supporting the State of Palestine’s efforts for full membership in the United Nations, and obtaining recognition from more European countries in the State of Palestine to preserve the last chance for a two-state solution based on international law.’ He added: ‘We briefed our guest, the president, on what is happening in the Palestinian territories at the hands of successive Israeli governments, including the current extremist government that practices persecution, racism, land theft and desecration of holy places by its forces and terrorist settlers, who are rushing to destroy the foundations of the political process, which requires a serious stand by the international community in order to stop Israel’s behavior as a racist state above the law in order to achieve security and peace for all in our region and the world.” For his part, President Christodoulides said he is keen to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries and peoples, stressing his country’s support for peace on the basis of the two-state solution and the establishment of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The President of Cyprus stressed the importance of deepening tripartite cooperation between Cyprus, Palestine and Greece. The meeting was attended by Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Ziad Abu Amr, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Malki, Head of the General Intelligence Service Majed Faraj, Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Presidential Advisor for Diplomatic Affairs Majdi al-Khalidi, and Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Cyprus Abdullah al-Attari. In the presence of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Cypriot President, the foreign ministers of the two countries signed a cooperation agreement to provide support through the Municipal Fund to establish a project in the village of Ain Kenya. President Abbas held a luncheon in honor of his guest and the accompanying delegation.

Source: En – Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA