Guatemala-City - Speaker of the House of Representatives (lower house), Rachid Talbi El Alami, represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the inauguration ceremony of Guatemala's new president, Bernardo Arévalo, which took place on Sunday in Guatemala-City. Arévalo's official investiture ceremony took place at the Miguel Angel Asturias national Theater, in the presence of numerous heads of State and government, as well as representatives of legislative institutions. At the ceremony, the speaker of the House of Representatives was accompanied by Morocco's ambassador to Guatemala, Tarik Louajri. On this occasion, Talbi El Alami conveyed to Bernardo Arévalo the congratulations of His Majesty King Mohammed VI on his election to the highest office of his country. The ceremony was an opportunity to express Morocco's willingness to strengthen its ties with Guatemala in all areas, the speaker of the House of Representatives told MAP. In a message addressed to Bernardo Arévalo following his election as president of the Republic of Guatemala, His Majesty the King expressed His warmest congratulations to Arévalo for the trust placed in him by the friendly people of Guatemala, and His sincere wishes for success in his high office. "On this occasion, I would like to express the Kingdom of Morocco's esteem for the distinguished ties of friendship that unite us with the Republic of Guatemala, and for the bilateral cooperation relations that are progressing exponentially in all areas and which, I am convinced, will grow stronger for the benefit of both peoples and in the service of complementarity and South-South cooperation", said the Sovereign. Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse LISBON: The Portuguese Parliament today sent its recommendation to the Portuguese government, urging it to make all diplomatic efforts to defend the establishment of the independent State of Palestine. On January 10, the Portuguese Parliament approved by a large majority a recommendation to the government to take all appropriate and necessary steps to recognize the State of Palestine, so that the two states, Palestine and Israel, can live side by side in security and peace. The recommendation also included a call for the Portuguese government to use its resources, diplomatic influence, and bilateral relations with other countries, as well as to take advantage of being a member of international bodies, such as the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union, to influence and mobilize an international position that leads to the recognition of Palestine as an independent state. The recommendation stressed the importance of Portugal's defense of the need to respect United Nations resolutions related to the conflict, especially those that condemn and prohibit the construction of new colonies in the occupied West Bank. Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA