News

On 5 March, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis visited the Palestinian Authority. During the meetings with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad al-Maliki, Ažubalis stressed that Lithuania consistently supported the two-state solution, that is, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace.

“Today it is extremely important to restore confidence in the peace process and to resume peace talks as soon as possible,” Ažubalis stressed.

The visit was organised in accordance with the memorandum of understanding on political consultations, which was signed by the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2010.

The meetings also focused on prospects for development of bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and the Palestinian Authority.

“Lithuania, in accordance with its possibilities, contributes to the re-creation of the Palestinian Authority and to the strengthening of its administration capacities,” Ažubalis said.

Since 2009, Lithuania has implemented at least one development cooperation project in Palestine per year aimed at strengthening administrative capacities, reaching non-governmental organizations, etc. Between 2009 and 2010, Lithuania delegated one police officer to the European Police mission in Ramallah (EUPOL COPPS).

During the conversations, considerable attention was given to discuss the cooperation between the EU and the Palestinian Authority. Lithuanian Foreign Minister assured the Palestinian leadership that the EU was ready to make use of the existing political and legal instruments to further develop its relations with the Palestinian Authority.

At the meeting, interlocutors also exchanged opinions on the situation in the Gaza Strip and in the Middle East region.