The State of Palestine deeply appreciates the consistent goodwill and support it has received from Sri Lanka throughout its struggle for international recognition, and should always be counted on as a steadfast friend of Sri Lanka, President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine told Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, in Ramallah on Sunday.
Minister Peiris expressed the pleasure of the Government of Sri Lanka with the adoption of the historic resolution on enhancement of the status of Palestine in the United Nations and the support extended by 138 countries in the United Nations General Assembly to upgrade the status of Palestine as a Non-Member Observer State. He said that Sri Lanka supports Palestinians application for admission as a full member of the United Nations.
President Abbas, recalling with pleasure his visit to Sri Lanka in 2008 and 2012, said that he is grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa who, as President of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement in Sri Lanka for over 35 years, identified very closely with the aspirations of the Palestinian people. He said that the Palestinian Foreign Relations Commission expressed solidarity with Sri Lanka during its war against terrorism and continues to support Sri Lanka strongly in all its initiatives after the achievement of peace.
He especially thanked Sri Lanka for its references to the cause of the Palestinian people at the session of the United Nations General Assembly every year, and commented that this commitment contributed in substantial measure to the success which Palestine has achieved.
Prof. Peiris reiterated Sri Lanka’s support for the two State solution, based on successive resolutions of the United Nations, with emphasis on security of each States within its borders. President Abbas describe to the visiting Sri Lankan Minister the current issues with which the State of Palestine is grappling, including the building of settlements and issues connected with prisoners on hunger strike. On his part, Minister Peiris gave President Abbas a briefing on the challenges which Sri Lanka is facing after the eradication of terrorism and in particular current developments in the Human Rights Council. President Abbas praised Sri Lanka’s accomplishments in responding to a variety of daunting challenges within the brief period which has elapsed since the eradication of terrorism.
Dr. Riad Al-Malki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, with whom the visiting Sri Lankan Minister had a separate meeting, was present at the discussion at the President’s Office between President Abbas and Minister Peiris.
