Ramallah, June 14 (BTA) - Meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, here Thursday Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said: "Bulgaria supports all initiatives which would lead to a positive development of the Middle East Peace Process. All contentious issues should be resolved through direct talks between the two countries."

The two government leaders discussed possible ways to broaden bilateral cooperation and the Middle East peace process, the government information service said. The meeting was attended by a Bulgarian delegation made up of Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev, Education and Science Minister Krassimir Vulchev and Deputy Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, who is the national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism.

Borissov expressed a sincere hope that the serious conflicts in the region would be resolved by signing a peace agreement. "I want peace so much, my country has a long-standing friendship with the people of Israel, of Palestine and of Iran," he said.

Borissov also stressed that Bulgarian-Palestinian relations are traditionally good and the two countries will keep developing them. More than 5,000 Palestinians who have studied in Bulgaria could form a bridge towards implementing this jointly stated objective. There are many Palestinians studying in Bulgarian universities even now, he said.

Hamdallah thanked Borissov for being a real friend of Palestine and the cause of the Palestinian people. He stressed the Palestinians always hold out a hand for peace talks but do not always meet with the same treatment from the other side. Hundreds of people were wounded or killed in Gaza; the world should pay more attention to this, said Hamdallah. He explained that the talks between Palestine and the EU are making slow progress and asked Borissov and Bulgaria to help expedite it.

Hamdallah assured Borissov that the State of Palestine would be a model of democratic government.

Bulgaria and Palestine will cooperate in primary, secondary, vocational and higher education under a cooperation agreement between the two education ministries.

Bulgarian and Palestinian primary and secondary school students will participate in international education and art competitions. The two countries' universities will have quotas for students and will encourage faculty exchanges.

The agreement on cooperation between the education ministries was signed by Education Minister Krassimir Vulchev and Foreign Minister Riad Malki during Borissov's visit to Ramallah. The document envisages joint efforts towards simplifying the mutual recognition of diplomas.