A historic day that offers hope for peace

“This is a historic day — one that gives us hope for the people of Palestine and for the release of the hostages. That is what we must discuss: how we can continue to support Palestine in the future,” said Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, as she addressed the media before her meeting with Varsen Aghabekian, the Foreign Minister of Palestine, this morning.

Aghabekian represents the Palestinian Authority, which is governed by the Fatah movement.

“Iceland holds a special place in our hearts”

Aghabekian said that Iceland occupies a special place in the hearts of Palestinians, as Iceland was among the first nations to recognize the independence of Palestine.

“Today we are discussing a brighter future for Palestine with Iceland’s help. This is a good day for the Palestinian people, and we believe the war will soon end so that Palestinians can look toward a better future,” she said.

When asked what she expected from her meetings with Icelandic officials, Aghabekian said:

“We will discuss how we can strengthen our bilateral relations — how Iceland can become an important partner in the reconstruction process and play a key role on the international stage.”

Gunnarsdóttir added that today marked the first step toward a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

Detailed talks on peace efforts

“It is truly an extraordinary day to welcome the Palestinian Foreign Minister to Iceland. This is a momentous occasion — not only for the Palestinian people but for the entire world,” said Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir following a luncheon meeting with Aghabekian and Þorgerður Katrín at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Aghabekian is visiting Iceland at the invitation of the Foreign Minister and will tomorrow attend the annual Höfði Peace Conference, where she will deliver an address.

Frostadóttir said the meeting had covered “detailed discussions on how Iceland could help advance peace efforts in the region” with a focus on achieving a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

She reaffirmed the Icelandic government’s strong support for that goal.