Thailand, Palestine Establish Diplomatic Relations

By Jamaluddin Muhammad BANGKOK, July 14 (Bernama) -- Come Aug 1, Thailand and Palestine will enjoy diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Thai Vice-Foreign Minister Jullapong Nonsrichai and Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr Riad Malki here recently. The Royal Thai Embassy in Amman, Jordan will be accredited to Palestine and the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Kuala Lumpur will be accredited to Thailand. "The establishment of diplomatic relations will be a good starting point for the development of Thai-Palestinian relations on the basis of mutual benefit," according to a statement by the Department of Information, Thai Foreign Ministry, Friday. Bangkok has recognised the state of Palestine since last November. During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation, especially on existing technical cooperation in areas of fisheries and construction, as well as to expand cooperation to other fields. Jullapong emphasised Thailand's support for the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, as well as Thailand's support for peace negotiation based on the two-state solution. Dr Riad said Palestine was ready to give opportunities for negotiations and believed that direct engagements with all concerned parties would be the solution to the problem. -- BERNAMA