Minister(s) Silva accompanies President Piñera in meeting with Mahmoud Abbas

The Minister(s) of Foreign Affairs, Alfonso Silva, accompanied the President of the Republic, Sebastián Piñera, today in the various activities for the official visit to Chile of the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas.

After participating in the welcoming ceremony to the Palestinian Authority, the Chancellor(s) took part in an extended meeting between the two leaders and the delegations of both countries. He then attended the statement that the two heads of state made to the press.

"We have talked about how to strengthen our ties of collaboration, of trade, in many areas, and we are going to revitalize and give a new dynamism to the working group that we formed in 2011, to strengthen even more the ties between Palestine and Chile," said President Piñera after his speech.

He also reiterated the country's support for a Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Chile is in favour of the existence of two free, sovereign, independent and autonomous states that can truly resolve their differences through negotiations within the framework of the United Nations, particularly Resolutions 442 and 338, in order to put an end to these more than 70 years in which both countries have not reached this permanent and definitive peace agreement," he said.

Chile was the first Latin American country to open a Representative Office before the Palestinian National Authority in 1998 and has recognized the Palestinian State since January 7, 2011. In March 2011, President Piñera visited the Palestinian territories.