Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation visits BZU - News

The Swedish Minister for International Development
Cooperation, Ms. Gunilla Carlsson, and her accompanying delegation visited
Birzeit University on 21 June 2011. She met with BZU President, Dr. Khalil
Hindi, some faculty members, and a number of students, and was briefed on the
educational situation in Palestine in general, and BZU in particular.

Carlson expressed her
pleasure with the visit to Palestine, and happiness to meet BZU students, noting
that she has visited the university four years ago. Dr. Hindi valued the
relationship between the two countries and the Swedish continued support to
Palestine.

Carlsson commended the development and progress taking place in
Palestine, and stressed that development is the right way for the establishment
of the Palestinian state. She added that Sweden and the European Union will
provide adequate support to return to the negotiating table, and will seek to
establish a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. She promised that Sweden
will always be to by the Palestinian people until they achieve their freedom
and independence, pointing out that Sweden annually donates to the Palestinian
National Authority around US$ 100 million.

Carlsson said: "The achievement of economic development and
activation of foreign investment requires unity between the West Bank, Gaza and
East Jerusalem." She added: "I had much pain during my visit to Gaza
Strip, where there isn’t drinking water, in addition to a great scarcity of
resources, calling upon all officials to immediately and unconditionally open
the crossings, in order to lift the siege on the people of Gaza."

The Swedish Minister
hoped for the establishment of a Palestinian government of technocrats, laying
the foundations of democracy and good governance in Palestine, wishing the
Palestinian people freedom and dignity.