Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad Al-Maliki discussed today during a meeting in Ramallah with Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and bilateral relations between the two countries.
Malki brought his Singaporean counterpart up to date on the situation in the Palestinian territories and the mounting violations of the Israeli occupation; its colonial projects and racist policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem.
Malki further briefed Balakrishnan on the occupation’s policies aimed at deepening the apartheid regime, referring to the latest reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Israeli human rights group (B’Tselem), which affirmed that Israel, the occupying power, implements an apartheid regime and adopts racial laws against the Palestinian people.
He also briefed his Singaporean counterpart on the difficulties impeding the return to negotiations with the Israeli side, including the intransigence of the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett.
Concerning the bilateral relations, Malki thanked the Singaporean government for the support it provides in the framework of building Palestinian capacities and supporting the health sector in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, and for supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), calling for strengthening and developing the bilateral relations between the two countries in many fields.
For his part, the Singaporean minister announced his government’s intentions to open a representative office in Palestine to coordinate and facilitate Singaporean technical assistance.
He affirmed his country’s position in support of a negotiated two-state solution; with two states living side by side in peace and security, and his country’s commitment to continue providing support and assistance to the State of Palestine.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA)