Jonathan, Abbas Agree To Establish Framework For Bilateral Cooperation During Visit To Palestine

 

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (L) WITH PRESIDENT MAHMUD ABBAS OF PALESTINE DURING HIS VISIT TO RAMALLAH ON TUESDAY

President Goodluck Jonathan and the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday in Ramallah reached an accord on the establishment of a Framework for Bilateral Cooperation between Nigeria and Palestine.

The agreement was reached after talks at which both leaders stressed the need to expand and deepen the scope of bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of their peoples.

President Jonathan and his Palestinian counterpart mandated their foreign ministers to work out modalities for the Cooperation.
The two leaders also exchanged views on a wide range of issues of regional and global importance, in addition to bilateral relations.
Mr. Jonathan reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict that will lead to the establishment of two countries “recognized by all, living side by side in peace and security.”

He also reiterated Nigeria’s call for more dialogue and negotiations between both sides and welcomed ongoing efforts to resume peace talks between them.
In his remarks, President Abbas thanked President Jonathan for his historic visit to the West Bank and for Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to peace in Palestine and the Middle-East region as a whole.
Both leaders also joined their voice in condemning all forms of terrorism as dire threats to global peace and security.
President Jonathan, who a day before had visited the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, Israel, where he laid a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance and lit a flame in memory of the dead, also laid a wreath on arrival at Ramallah, at the tomb of the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, before he proceeded to the meeting with Mr. Abbas.