Denmark Upgrades Palestinian Representation to Mission

Thursday March 10, 2011 21:06 by Alessandra Bajec - IMEMC & Agencies

Denmark will upgrade the status of Palestinian delegation to the level of a mission, news agencies informed on Thursday.

(photo from AFP)

Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lakke Rasmussen, announced on Wednesday that the diplomatic status of the PLO representative office in Copenhagen would be upgraded as a mission with full diplomatic status giving officials powers equal to that of other countries.

The announcement was made during a meeting between Palestinian President Abbas and Prime Minister Rasmussen with other Danish officials. President Abbas arrived in Denmark, on Tuesday, after an official two-day visit to the UK. After the news of the upgrading was made known, Abbas briefed the Danish Foreign Affairs Committee on issues related to the peace process and recent events in the Middle East, WAFA news agency said.

In a joint press conference, President Abbas was quoted by WAFA saying that upgrading the Palestinian delegation to the mission in Denmark supports the Palestinian peace effort politically and diplomatically, and is seen as a step forward toward the recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

Denmark’s diplomatic upgrade is the latest European country that decided to recognize Palestinian diplomats with full rank to mission, and happened one day after British officials gave their recognition in London, Dublin, Paris and Stockholm.

In the last months, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the United States and other countries have announced similar upgrades to PA diplomatic delegations.

international | peace process | news report alessandra.bajec at gmail dot com