PNA welcomes opening EU markets to Palestinian products

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Thursday welcomed an European Union (EU) decision to open its markets for Palestinian agricultural and food products.


Palestinian Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libda said the new agreement with the EU was part of efforts to support the building of the future Palestinian state.


He noted that the agreement enables crops, processed food and fishery products of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to have duty- free access to the EU markets.


Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, signed the agreement in Brussels on Wednesday.


The PNA is looking for "tangible steps to press Israel to stop its procedures that restrict the Palestinian economy's ability to take advantage of the EU markets' openings," Abu Libda told Xinhua.


The PNA intensified a diplomatic campaign to mobilize support for seeking recognition from the UN in September. The move to the UN is the Palestinian response to the resumption of Jewish settlement constructions in the West Bank, which caused U.S.- brokered peace talks to stop last year.


Also in September, a two-year plan by the PNA to upgrade its institutions to be ready for running an independent state completes.
(Source:http://news.xinhuanet.com)