President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Stockholm next month after Sweden became the first major state of the European Union to recognize Palestine, the Swedish government announced Friday.

“The visit of president Abbas, by invitation from the prime minister, is confirmed for Feb. 10,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Ulla Jacobson told AFP. “He will also meet the foreign minister, the king, and the archbishop.”

She said the agenda would include the Arab-Israeli peace process and “what Sweden can offer after (its) recognition” of Palestine in October.

Sweden’s recognition of Palestine came despite strong criticism from Israel which earlier this month said Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem was not welcome for an official visit in the country.

Wallstroem had been due to visit Israel in mid-January to attend a memorial service for the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who saved Jews during the Holocaust. She was also expected to visit the occupied Palestinian territories.

Wallstroem said she would use Abbas’ visit to push for stalled peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians to resume.

“We will make demands of the Palestinians. That’s what we will use our relationship for,” she told Swedish Radio.

(Agencies via Ma’an – www.maannews.net)