MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Suriname recognizes a Palestinian state on 1967 borders

President Desi Bouterse sent the recognition letter to Mahmoud Abbas and to the UN Secretary General

The Republic of Suriname on Tuesday became the latest South American country to officially recognize a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Minister Riad Al-Malki said.

Surinamese President Desi Bouterse sent a letter to his PA counterpart Mahmoud Abbas via the Palestinian ambassador in Brazil, announced Al-Malki.

Bouterse expressed Suriname's support for Palestinian national rights and the establishment of a state on 1967 borders in the letter which was also sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the minister said.

The 1967 borders include East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, lands occupied by Israel in the Six Day War.

In a brief statement President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Tuesday Suriname’s recognition of the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

President Mahmoud Abbas had met with the Surinamese President Dési Bouterse in a visit to Brazil in December 2010 previous to the taking office ceremony of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff.

Al-Malki said the latest recognition was another achievement of Palestinian diplomacy, which has focused on international recognition since negotiations with Israel collapsed in September.

In recognizing Palestine, Suriname joins other Latinamerican countries that have taken the same path: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Suriname, a former Dutch colony, is a member of the Islamic Conference Organization and the Islamic Development Bank.