President Mohamed Nasheed has said the Maldives wants to see a free and safe Palestinian state.
In a telephone conversation with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, this afternoon, the President said: “I have always, all throughout my life, been a very strong Palestinian supporter and there is nothing more that we would like to see other than a free and a safe state of Palestine.”
The President's conversation with the Palestinian President comes in the backdrop of Maldives' announcement to renew relations with the state of Israel.
The President revealed in his maiden address to the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, that the Maldives would renew its relations with the Israel.
In the address, the President said, “[the Maldives will] use the relationship to reiterate our support for an independent and sovereign Palestinian homeland, in conformity with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.”
Speaking with Mr Abbas ahead of a scheduled telephone call with the Prime Minister of Israel, the President asked President Abbas if there was anything that the government of the Maldives could mention to the government of Israel.
President Abbas thanked the President for the offer and requested the President to take up two issues, including the issue of Israeli settlement activities in Palestinian territory and the desire of the government of Palestine to carry forward the dialogue with the government of Israel from where it was left during the Olmert administration.
In the telephone call, President Abbas invited President Nasheed to make a visit to Palestinian territory, and, in return, the President also invited the Palestinian President to the Maldives.
Both agreed to exchange visits.
