Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad Al-Malki, met with his Bulgarian counterpart, Ekaterina Zaharieva in Sofia, Bulgaria’ capital, where they discussed the latest developments in the local and regional arena, issues of mutual concern, and political and economic challenges facing Palestine.

They further discussed forms of support and assistance that Bulgaria can provide to Palestine in international forums; through voting on resolutions concerning Palestine, developing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, providing scholarships for Palestinian students in Bulgaria, and ways of joint cooperation.

For her part, the Bulgarian minister affirmed her country’s support to Palestinian people and government and the two-state solution, and compliance to resolutions of international legitimacy in order to achieve peace and the establishment of an independent state of Palestine.

“As a result of the lack of political perspectives, we may witness new outbreaks of violence and tension in both Gaza and the West Bank,” said Zaharieva according to a Bulgarian Foreign Ministry statement.

She said that the resumption of open and direct negotiations between the two sides, as well as compliance with the Oslo and Paris international agreements, was at the heart of the solution, added the statement.

On August 28, Bulgaria’s cabinet approved a draft agreement for cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture, youth and sports between the governments of Bulgaria and Palestine for the period 2019-2024, according to the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).