SINGAPORE, July 2 — Singapore is prepared in principle to recognise Palestine’s statehood, said Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
He said Singapore’s key consideration is that such a move should help progress peace and the negotiated two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
“In particular, there will need to be an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s rights to exist and categorically rejects terrorism.
“We urge both sides to seize the moment to take steps towards long-lasting peace and put an end to the suffering that has gone on for too long,” the minister told the Singapore Parliament today.
On May 10, Singapore voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution expressing support for Palestine’s membership in the UN.
Balakrishnan said Singapore made the vote after careful consideration in the hopes that Palestine and Israel would resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution, at a time when the prospects were increasingly bleak.
Meanwhile, Balakrishnan said Singapore’s level of support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not subject to whether there is formal recognition of the state.
“Singapore will continue to engage with the PA, continue to implement our S$10 million (RM million) enhanced technical assistance package to help PA build capacity, and prepare for statehood,” he said.
Singapore to date has trained more than 750 Palestinians officials in a variety of areas, including diplomacy, economic management, and urban planning.
He said the republic also provides scholarships for Palestinian officials to pursue postgraduate study at Singapore universities. There have been three recipients of such scholarships this year.
— Bernama
