Syria on Monday officially announced that it recognizes a Palestinian state on 1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital, the official news agency SANA said citing a source from the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
According to a statement quoted by SANA, "The Syrian Arab Republic recognizes the state of Palestine on the lines of June 4, 1967 with east Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of preserving the legitimate Palestinian rights."
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'Erekat: Abbas to personally ask UN for state recognition'The statement added that Syria now considers the Palestinian Liberation Organization office in Damascus as the official embassy of the Palestinian state.
The announcement comes after the Arab League last week issued a draft statement saying it will ask the United Nations to upgrade the Palestinians to full member status.
"It was decided to go to the United Nations to request the recognition
of the state of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital and to move
ahead and request a full membership," said the communique, a copy of
which was obtained by Reuters.
The statement did not provide a timeline, indicating the application
would be made in time for the UN assembly in September. A Palestinian
delegate said the Arab League had appointed a committee to determine
dates.
Full member status would require approval in the Security Council, where
the United States has said it would veto any such resolution.