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OPT: With 20 million Euros, Spain is the first country contributing to the new european program to support the Palestinian Authority.

Today, Spain, the Palestinian Authority and the European Commission signed the Agreement to provide 20 million Euros to support the Palestinian Authority, through the European Commission's new program entitled 'PEGASE' (European-Palestinian Mechanism for Socio-Economic Aid and Management).

This contribution is a direct response to the commitments outlined by Spain during the Annapolis Conference and the Paris Conference to further peaceful negotiations currently underway. This reinforcement of negotiations specifically focuses on the strengthening of political structures of the Palestinian Authority and the relief of the humanitarian situation for the Palestinian people, particularly those living in Gaza. The Spanish support plan will contribute to the guarantee of salary payments and social contributions for the civil employees of the Palestinian Authority in 2008.

This program, executed by the AECID, constitutes the largest Spanish contribution in budgetary support since the creation of the Palestinian Authority. This contribution is yet another demonstration of the Spanish people's support for the process of construction of National Palestinian institutions. In a context of social and economic instability, the role of the Palestinian Authority is essential to maintain basic social cohesion mechanisms in Palestine and is essential in bringing peace to the region through the establishment of a Palestinian state.

With this contribution, Spain is the first country contributing to the new PEGASE program. The Spanish government congratulates the Commission and the Palestinian Authority for starting this important mechanism. The Spanish government reaffirms its commitment to continue contributing in the future and encourages other countries to do the same.

During the Donor Conference in Paris for a Palestinian State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation promised to provide a total of 240 million Euros in the following triennium, situating Spain as the second donor country of the EU for its total sum of aid to the Palestinian population.

The Agreement with the Palestinian Authority was signed in Ramallah today (Thursday) by Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority Mr. Salam Fayyad and by Ambassador Ramón Ansoaín, General Consul of Spain in Jerusalem.