UNSC meets to discuss Palestinian statehood bid
By JPOST.COM STAFF, JORDANA HORN IN NEW YORK
LAST UPDATED: 09/26/2011 23:33
Meeting an informal consultation taking place behind closed doors after which Security Council can refer issue to committee.
UN security Council Photo: Reuters
The United Nations Security Council met in a closed-door session Monday to commence discussions of the Palestinian application for statehood.
The application, made last Friday by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, was forwarded on to the Security Council Friday afternoon. At a press conference on Friday, the current rotating head of the Security Council, Lebanon’s Nawaf Salam, said the application would be put before the other Security Council members at Monday’s meeting.
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Monday’s meeting was an informal consultation, and was taking place behind closed doors. The Security Council can then refer the issue to a committee.
UN Secretary General Spokesperson Martin Nesirky said the Palestinians
are required to adhere to the principles of the UN charter, CBS News
reported.
The Palestinian statehood application would require nine out of the
fifteen votes of the Security Council in order to go before the General
Assembly for final approval. The US has said that it will veto the
Palestinians’ bid. However, diplomats say that it could take weeks and
possibly even months before the matter comes to a vote in the Security
Council.