RAMALLAH /PNN/ 
Speaking at a joint press conference in Ramallah with his Latvian counterpart Egils Levits, President Mahmoud Abbas today called on the European Union and its member states not to deal with any Israeli government that does not recognize the two-state solution on the basis of international legitimacy and signed agreements, and does not renounce violence and terrorism.

He called on the international community to link its relations with Israel to the extent of its commitment to those principles, to stop all unilateral actions, and to return the withheld Palestinian funds.

President Abbas warned of the seriousness of the international silence regarding the destruction of the two-state solution, persistence in perpetuating racism, taking steps for annexation and settlement construction, as well as the killings and the desecration of Islamic and Christian holy places.

The President thanked his counterpart, the Latvian president, for his country's support for the two-state solution and peace in the region on the basis of international law, and for Latvia’s support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and for training Palestinians in its universities.

“I want to express my sincere thanks for Latvia's stances in support of the two-state solution, peacemaking in our region on the basis of international law, and my thanks for the gestures your country offers towards UNRWA, and for training a number of Palestinians in Latvian universities,” said President Abbas, who described the visit as “an important opportunity to strengthen the friendship and cooperation relations between our two countries and peoples in all fields,” while looking forward to more trade exchange and investment between businessmen in the two countries.

President Abbas also took this opportunity to express his appreciation for the European Union and its member states for their political stances and support for development projects in Palestine, calling on the European countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so in order to protect the two-state solution and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

“We are confident that we will soon see the start of dialogue to raise the level of The European-Palestinian Partnership Agreement. We affirm our commitment to building the institutions of our state on the basis of the rule of law, empowering women and youth, creating partnerships with civil society and the private sector, achieving national reconciliation, and going to general elections as soon as we are able to hold them in East Jerusalem, as in previous times,” he said.

President Abbas said the Palestinians do not have a partner for peace in Israel “who believes in the two-state solution based on international legitimacy, signed agreements, and the renunciation of violence and terrorism, which are the principles that we are committed to and work according to. In this context, we call on the European Union and its member states not to deal with any Israeli government that does not recognize these principles and values.”