Palestine: the United States is making a last attempt to persuade Palestine not to make an official request for UN membership. But Abbas says "no"
Today American senior envoys are meeting Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas affirms that a request for UN recognition is “inevitable. Abbas is due to address the UN next General Assembly on 23 September, and Palestine's plea is expected to win an overwhelming “yes”.
Ramallah (AsiaNews/Agenzie) – US envoys and EU foreign policy chief Baronessa Catherine Ashton are making a final attempt to persuade the Palestinian Authorities not to request UN recognition for the State of Palestine. However Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is adamant “there is no retreat” from the decision to apply for full UN membership for Palestine next week at UN headquarters in New York.
David Hale, US envoy for peace in the Middle East and senior White House aide Dennis Ross, arrived yesterday in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. Today they will see Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Middle-East envoy Tony Blair are also in the region to meet both sides. But so far diplomatic efforts appear to have achieved little.
Most experts agree that the request for UN membership will be approved with a large majority by the UN General Assembly. The United States is expected to use its Security Council veto to block the Palestinian request for full membership . "Going to the United Nations to request full membership for Palestine in the international organization is an inevitable thing and there is no retreat from it. Despite the pressures exercised on us, Palestine will go to the United Nations on the 23rd of the current month to request full membership," said Abbas, who is scheduled to address the General Assembly in New York on that day.
A UN General Assembly approval will mean that instead of an "entity" Palestine will be recognised as a “non member State”, with the expected US veto to full membership. However “a non member State” may appeal to the International Criminal Court and to the International Courts of Justice. “This is what Israel and America don't want”, said Abbas.
David Hale, US envoy for peace in the Middle East and senior White House aide Dennis Ross, arrived yesterday in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. Today they will see Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Middle-East envoy Tony Blair are also in the region to meet both sides. But so far diplomatic efforts appear to have achieved little.
Most experts agree that the request for UN membership will be approved with a large majority by the UN General Assembly. The United States is expected to use its Security Council veto to block the Palestinian request for full membership . "Going to the United Nations to request full membership for Palestine in the international organization is an inevitable thing and there is no retreat from it. Despite the pressures exercised on us, Palestine will go to the United Nations on the 23rd of the current month to request full membership," said Abbas, who is scheduled to address the General Assembly in New York on that day.
A UN General Assembly approval will mean that instead of an "entity" Palestine will be recognised as a “non member State”, with the expected US veto to full membership. However “a non member State” may appeal to the International Criminal Court and to the International Courts of Justice. “This is what Israel and America don't want”, said Abbas.
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