TUNIS, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui on Wednesday reiterated his country's support for the Palestinian people's struggle for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State.

"Tunisia holds and will defend the close bonds of fraternity which unite the Tunisian and Palestinian peoples," said Jhinaoui during his meeting with the visiting Palestinian Minister of Social Development Ahmed Majdalani.

"Tunisia is ready, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, to support all efforts to bring the Palestinian cause to the forefront of the international public opinion," added the Tunisian minister.

The Palestinian minister on Monday announced in the Tunisian capital the start of talks between Palestine and some Arab countries including Tunisia to implement a program of socio-economic cooperation which aims to put an end to Palestinian economic dependence on Israel.