Brussels, 06/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 6 October, the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on Europeans to give their support to the “Palestinian Spring”, by defending Palestine's bid for United Nations membership. Speaking at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Abbas said: “You supported the Arab Spring which was seeking democracy and freedom.” He added: “Now the Palestinian Spring has arrived, asking for freedom and an end to the (Israeli) occupation. We deserve your support.”
The day before, the Palestinian president had met EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, to continue their talks on the Middle East peace process and to prepare the Quartet meeting scheduled in Brussels on Sunday afternoon. “We had a long, open and frank discussion to update one another on developments since we last talked in New York during the UN General Assembly week”, Ashton explains in a press release. She recalls that the aim of the EU and of the Quartet is still that of bringing the parties back to the negotiating table, in order to find a lasting solution.
UNESCO. Catherine Ashton and Mahmoud Abbas also discussed Palestine's bid for permanent membership at UNESCO (United Nations Organisation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), approved by the executive council on Wednesday 5 October. Ashton said she understood that full membership to UNESCO is a long-desired wish of the Palestinians, but added that the request does not come at the right moment and should be dealt with once the UN request has been fully settled. With 40 votes out of 58, the UNESCO executive council approved a recommendation for attributing Palestine full membership status. Fourteen countries abstained, including Spain and France, who considered Palestine's request premature. The United States and three other states voted against. The general UNESCO conference, during which the Palestinian request will be voted on, will be held from 25 October to 10 November this year. In order to obtain membership status, the recommendation must be adopted by a two-third majority of the 193 members. (CG/transl.jl)