RAMALLAH, July 23, 2011 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas Friday stressed that the Palestinian plan to seek United Nations recognition and full membership of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders in September is in accordance with UN partition resolution 181 of 1947.

Abbas, on a visit to Turkey, said that the UN resolution 181, which divided Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state, talked about both an Israeli and a Palestinian state, thus 'the establishment of the Israeli state is still conditional on the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to resolution 181.'

'Seeking UN recognition in September, regardless of the outcome, doesn't prevent resumption of negotiation with the Israel because there are prime issues that can't be solved through the UN Security Council,' he said.

He said that the quartet's failure to reach a decision on the Palestinian-Israeli issue in its last meeting was an indication that the situation has become difficult to negotiate. However, he added, the Palestinians remain committed to negotiations.

Abbas said that Palestinian diplomacy now is to gain more world recognitions of the Palestinian state, saying “We have now 118 states recognizing the Palestinian state, and surely we'll have two-thirds of the UN member states to support the recognition resolution.'

He said that 'Europe was influenced by the Israeli claim that the Palestinian bid is a unilateral action, whereas the ongoing Israeli settlement activities are, in fact, unilateral. But European countries now understand. Spain and Norway supported the Palestinian plan and Norway raised the status of the Palestinian diplomatic representation.'

Abbas said that the Palestinians and the Arab follow-up Committee are contacting the US, Europe and other countries in order to coordinate positions. He said that the committee will meet in the beginning of August to finalize its stance.

Abbas said that there is news of US veto in the Security Council in September. However, he said, he was not sure if this was the final US position. He refused to comment on the possibility of US veto saying, 'We will see what happens in the UN.'

He said the Palestinian leadership is constantly contacting US administration official while Palestinian officials, such as Saeb Erekat and Nabil Abu Rudeineh, are going back and forth to Washington to meet with US officials.

R.Q./M.A.