Ashrawi of PLO Meets with Austrian Foreign Minister, MPs during Official Visit to Vienna

Ramallah, MINA — PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi Monday met with Austrian Foreign Minister, Karin Kneissl, at the Austrian Foreign Ministry in Vienna, where they thoroughly discussed the latest political, international and regional developments, WAFA reported.Tuesday.

In the context of reviewing Palestinian-Austrian relations and ways to develop proactive cooperation and coordination between the two countries, Ashrawi raised the important matter of Austria’s historical ties and solidarity with Palestine, beginning with the commendable work of former Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kresiky.

Ashrawi stressed the importance of serious and effective multilateral action, in particular from European countries like Austria, to hold Israel accountable for its egregious violations and to actively work to end to the military occupation and to ensure the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to a statement issued by Ashrawi’s office.

In addition, Ashrawi met with multi-party members of the Austrian Parliamentary Friendship Group with Palestine, which is headed by Member of Parliament (MP), Muna Duzdar, at the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna.

Ashrawi briefed the Austrian MPs on the latest political and regional developments, as well as the so-called American ‘peace’ plan and the US administration’s reckless and irresponsible policies which have emboldened Israel to persist with its grave acts of unlawful unilateralism; these include the serious escalation of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise with its theft of Palestinian land and resources throughout the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the illegal annexation of Palestinian Jerusalem and the ethnic cleansing and isolation of the occupied city, and its cruel and inhumane siege of Gaza and the continued targeting of peaceful Palestinian protestors, as well as other illegal violations.

Due to the American government’s collusion with Israel and the military occupation at the expense of the Palestinian people, Ashrawi urged all members of the international community to hold Israel to account for its deliberate and systematic violations and to end the occupation and grave suffering of the Palestinian people once and for all.

The positive meeting also reviewed ways to enhance mutual cooperation and coordination between Palestine and Austria.

Ashrawi further conducted interviews with the Austrian press at the end of her official trip to Austria.

Ashrawi was accompanied by Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations Offices in Vienna and Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Austria and the Republic of Slovenia Salah Abdel-Shafi. ” (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)