The German-Palestinian Steering Committee will convene for the first time next Tuesday (18 May) in Berlin.

With this new bilateral forum the German Government intends to give sustained support to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to build effective government institutions in the Palestinian territories. The aim of the “Future for Palestine” initiative is to give Germany’s activities in the Palestinian territories a sharper focus and intensify German-Palestinian cooperation.

The first meeting of the Steering Committee, which will take place at the Federal Foreign Office, will be co-chaired by Federal Foreign Minister and Deputy Chancellor Guido Westerwelle and Dr Salam Fayyad, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. It will be attended by Cabinet ministers from both sides. On the German side these will be – in addition to Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle – Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière, Federal Economics Minister Rainer Brüderle, Federal Development Minister Dirk Niebel and Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan.

Prior to the first meeting of the Steering Committee at the Federal Foreign Office, the Palestinian ministers will hold bilateral talks with their German opposite numbers.

PROGRAMME DETAILS

10.30 a.m.: Talks between Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle and Prime Minister Fayyad

– Photocall before talks start –

Venue: Press foyer, 2nd floor

11.30 a.m.: Plenary meeting of the German-Palestinian Steering Committee

– Family portrait before meeting starts –

Venue: Europafoyer, 1st floor

12.30 p.m.: Joint press conference

Venue: Europafoyer, 1st floor