President Georgi Purvanov will make a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority on March 27-28 2008, the Presidency's press service said on March 21.

Purvanov will start his visit in Israel where he will hold talks with counterpart Shimon Peres. He will also meet Dalia Itzik, speaker of the Israeli Knesset, prime minister Ehud Olmert, foreign minister Tzipi Livni and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Agreements for economic cooperation and social securities will be signed, the Presidency said.

In Tel Aviv, Purvanov will attend a ceremony of naming a fountain in honour of Dimitur Peshev, the former speaker of Bulgarian parliament who in 1943 helped stop thousands of Jews living in Bulgaria from being sent to Nazi concentration camps. Purvanov will pay a visit to Yad Vashem memorial and will open an exhibition dedicated to Jews in Bulgaria.

In the Palestinian Authority, Purvanov will meet president Mahmud Abbas and is scheduled to sign a programme for cooperation in the field of education, science and culture. Purvanov will attend the opening of a Bulgarian representation in Ramallah and a meeting with Society for Bulgarian-Palestinian friendship.

Bulgarian delegation will include Bulgaria's first lady Zorka Purvanova, Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin, Social and Labour Minister Emilia Maslarova and the head of Bulgarian Investment Agency Stoyan Stalev.