Greek parliament calls for recognition of Palestinian state

Greece's parliament on Tuesday called for the recognition of a Palestinian state by the Greek government amid Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to the European country.

In a special session attended by the Palestinian president, Greece's parliamentary parties approved a resolution adopted unanimously by the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee last week.

Abbas praised the move as a "step that further contributes to the establishment of the Palestinian State," after receiving a copy of the resolution from the assembly's president Nikos Voutsis.

The decision was highly symbolic but fell far short of a full official recognition, political analysts commented.

Similar non-binding resolutions have been voted on by other national parliaments in Europe in recent years, as well as by the European parliament.

When asked after a meeting on Monday with Abbas on the full recognition, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said "Greece will make the necessary steps when the right time arrives."

Greece has enjoyed traditionally good relations with both the Palestinian side and the Arab world, and has built close ties with Israel in recent years, especially in the energy sector. Endit