Finland has officially joined a declaration on a peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue and the implementation of a two-state solution, Reuters reports, citing a statement from the Finnish Foreign Ministry, BTA reports.
The declaration is the result of an international UN conference held in July under the hostilities of Saudi Arabia and France, and represents the most significant international effort to create conditions for a two-state solution in years. The United States and Israel boycotted the event.
„The first step outlined by the declaration is to end the almost two-year-long war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group ‘Hamas’ in Gaza“, said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.
Saudi Arabia and France have urged UN member states to support the declaration, which outlines “concrete and irreversible steps with clear deadlines“ to implement the two-state solution.
Finland, unlike some European countries such as Spain and Norway, has not yet recognized Palestine as a state. The domestic government is divided on the issue of formal recognition.