Iceland recognizes the independent state of Palestine

Icelandic President Grimsson and Palestinian President Abbas during their meeting in Ramallah in 2008 (French - Archive)

Iceland recognized the independent state of Palestine on the borders in 1967 to become the first country in Western Europe to do so, and after recognition by Iceland rose to 130 the number of countries that recognized the independent state of Palestine.

And the voice of a 38-member parliament members and the number 63 for the favor of the resolution made by the Minister of Foreign Osur Scarpdanson, while 13 deputies abstained from the vote and 12 others were absent, and did not vote against the resolution of any deputy.
He cited the decision to parliament, "allows the government to recognize Palestine as an independent and sovereign within the limits that preceded the war of 1967."
Scarpdanson told Radio "R u in the" official urges parliament at the same time the Israelis and the Palestinians to seek a peace agreement based on international law and resolutions of the United Nations, including the mutual recognition of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine.
Parliament stressed that "the PLO is the legitimate representative of all the Palestinian people", recalling the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland.
The recognition of the Icelandic after nearly a month for Palestine full membership of the Organization of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the support of 11 European countries, including Iceland itself.
Evaluation of a PalestinianBut it is not expected to be the recognition of the Icelandic - which coincided with International Day declared by the United Nations of Solidarity with the Palestinian people - more than a symbolic gesture with the Palestinian Authority sought to gain recognition of the UN, but the request failed so far to get a seat in the UN.
For his part, price and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki and the Icelandic parliament's decision to consider the recognition of a "new achievement is added to the sum of the Palestinian political achievements that have been made recently."
He pointed out that the recent recognition of Iceland, the number of states recognizing the State of Palestine to 130 countries.
The Palestinian interior minister said he would visit Iceland's decision to receive the recognition and the signing of the Convention on the mutual recognition of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Source: Agencies