ForMin Aurescu highlights Romania's full openness for development and diversification of cooperation with Palestine

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu welcomed on Thursday Palestinian Ambassador to Romania Fuad Kokaly, on a farewell visit, commending the latter's contribution to the development and deepening of bilateral relations, as well as professionalism throughout his tenure in Romania. The head of Romanian diplomacy highlighted Romania's full openness for the development and diversification of cooperation with Palestine in sectoral areas of common interest, as well as Romania's commitment to continue the support offered in strengthening Palestinian institutions, including those agreed during visits to Ramallah, the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) says in a press release. Minister Aurescu reiterated the importance of organising a new meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental committee. He also stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of education and science, with the Palestinian ambassador expressing "special" appreciation for the scholarships granted by Romania to Palestinian students. Ambassador Kokaly pointed out that the growing number of graduates in Romania is an additional valuable link between the two countries. The head of Romanian diplomacy also referred to Romania's constant support for the development of EU-Palestine relations, including by concluding a proper association agreement. Aurescu and Kokaly had an exchange of views on the Middle East Peace Process, in which context the head of Romanian diplomacy reiterated Romania's constant position in support of the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, to coexist in peace and security, in accordance with international law. He stressed the need for confidence-building measures to facilitate the resumption of direct dialogue between the parties. Aurescu reiterated Romania's support for resuming this "absolutely necessary" dialogue, the MAE shows. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)