By Xinhua
Stockholm : Norway's support to the Palestinian people will be continued, and this entails continued support to President Mahmoud Abbas as the democratically elected head of the Palestinian Authority, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Saturday.
    Because of the widespread violence, President Abbas decided to declare a state of emergency and request Salam Fayad, who was Finance Minister in the Unity Government, to form an emergency government.
    "This is a decision that was taken by President Abbas on the basis of the Palestinian Basic Law," Stoere was quoted as saying by Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK), which is monitored here.
    He said it was now important that President Abbas was given broad international support for his efforts to get the security situation under control and restore calm.
    At the same time, Stoere said, it is important that President Abbas and the new prime minister continue their efforts to bring about Palestinian reconciliation and unity.
    "The situation in the Palestinian Territory affects the stability and security of the entire region. Norway has therefore called on the UN Security Council to begin consultations immediately," the foreign minister said in a statement.
    Meanwhile, Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on Friday welcomed the decision by Palestinian President Abbas to nominate political independent Salam Fayyad to form an emergency government.
    "Let's hope that he will rapidly set up a new government, and it is important that we, in the European Union, give him support as quickly and as strongly as possible," Bildt said in a statement.Â