UN moves to consider Palestinian bid
2011-09-28 21:44
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New York - The Security Council took its first official step on Wednesday to consider the Palestinians' request for UN membership.
Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam, who holds this month's rotating council presidency, announced that he was forwarding the Palestinians' request to the committee on new admissions, which includes all 15 member states on the council.
The step is required by council rules of procedure.
The committee will meet to consider the request for membership on Friday.
Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour thanked the council for quickly and unanimously agreeing to act on the Palestinian application.
"We hope this process not to take too long before we see positive action," he told reporters.
The process could take weeks before it comes to a final vote in the council, where the United States has vowed to veto the measure should it receive the necessary nine of 15 council votes in favor of membership for Palestine.
Mansour did not address US opposition, but said instead: "As you see, the process is moving forward step by step and we hope that the Security council will shoulder its responsibility and approve our application."
- AP
