MINSK, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - A Belarusian foreign ministry official handed over a commemorative birth certificate Tuesday to Israeli President Shimon Peres, who was born almost 90 years ago in a Belarusian village.
The Israeli president, who turns 90 on August 2, was born in the village of Vishnyeva some 100 km (60 miles) from the Belarusian capital Minsk. The village was a part of Poland when Peres was born in 1923, but later became part of the then Soviet Republic of Belarus.
According to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the certificate was issued as part of events to mark Peres' 90th birthday. Peres' daughter, Professor Tsvia Walden, visited the town on May 29 to officially unveil a commemorative plaque on the house where Peres was born.