Bilateral visit of Palestinian Foreign Minister to Iceland

Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine, visited Iceland from 8-11 October at the invitation of Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir. The two minister met bilaterally but Dr. Varsen also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir as well as President Halla Tomasdottir. She was also among the speakers of the Imagine Forum, organized by the University of Iceland´s Institute of International Affairs, Höfði Reykjavík Peace Centre and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Dr. Varsen also met with members of Althingi´s Foreign Affairs Committee, visited the headquarters of Embla Medical and spoke to the media.

Minister Gunnarsdottir and Dr. Varsen met previously at the United Nations Conference on the Two-State solution, held in New York in July. The bilateral meeting between Gunnarsdottir and Dr. Varsen in Reykjavík came as a ceasefire was taking hold in Gaza. „I hope today can herald a new beginning,“ said Minister Gunnarsdottir. „Much remains to be done for a permanent peace but the news of a ceasefire deal in Gaza is so very welcome.“

Iceland recognized the independence and sovereignty of Palestine in 2011. During her address to the Imagine Forum on Friday 10 October Dr. Varsen noted that Iceland had been amongst the first to recognize the state of Palestine. If more had done so earlier maybe the situation would be different.