Prime Minister Golob meets foreign ministers from the Middle East: A principled foreign policy opens doors to cooperation

SLOVENIA, February 6 - The visit by five foreign ministers – Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ayman Safadi from Jordan, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani from Bahrain, Badr Abdelatty from Egypt and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, from Qatar – reflects respect for and broad recognition of Slovenia’s principled views on Gaza and Palestine in general. The guests thanked the Prime Minister for recognising Palestine as an independent and sovereign state and praised Slovenia’s exceptional role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

They recognised Slovenia’s efforts to ensure respect for the rights of the Palestinian people and the solution of two states, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security. They also highlighted the great trust that Slovenia has managed to build among the Arab population with its just policy towards Palestine. The meeting reaffirmed the strong willingness of all sides to further enhance bilateral relations for the benefit of populations of both Slovenia and Middle Eastern countries.

"With its responsible stance on Gaza, Slovenia has proven that a principled foreign policy pays off and opens doors to cooperation. Today’s visit confirmed that Slovenia’s role and efforts with regard to Palestine have not gone unnoticed. On the contrary – the visit is a reflection of trust, partnership and friendship that we have built over the last two years. Our Leadership for Peace has translated into a concrete commitment to furthering bilateral cooperation and the common values of peace, justice and respect for human rights and international law. We were on the right side of history and, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, did our part to secure a ceasefire in Gaza," said the Prime Minister after the working lunch.

He added that more must be done to achieve peace in Gaza, so Slovenia will continue its work – with its partners from the Middle Eastern region as well as from other countries.

As a result of Slovenia’s political, financial and humanitarian support for the Palestinian people and its active role in the Security Council, today’s high-level visit is a clear indicator that Slovenia’s influence and credibility reach far beyond its borders.

More information about the Government’s activities to support Palestine is available at: Support activities of the Republic of Slovenia for Palestine | GOV.SI