PA's Malki: I believe we'll get enough support in UNSC
Palestinian Authority foreign minister says he's "amazed" at US efforts to stop statehood bid; Tibi says Abbas will present "dramatic" steps.
By JPOST.COM STAFFriad al malki 311(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said that the PA has the support of seven countries in the United Nations Security Council and that he believes the PA will succeed in securing the nine votes necessary for attaining full membership in the international body, Al Jazeera reported Wednesday.Malki added that he was "amazed" at the efforts being made by the United States in persuading other states to oppose the Palestinian statehood bid.RELATED:PM to meet Obama amid effort to avert UN ‘train wreck' MK Tibi posts photos with PA following ethics comment
The US, he said, has "used different forms of pressure, threats.""I hope that the United States will change its position and follow the majority of countries which want to support the Palestinian right to self-determination and an independent state," Malki added.On Tuesday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck told him his country would abstain in the vote on Palestinian statehood.Israel believes the other countries who may be convinced to either vote against or abstain on the measure in the Security Council are, in addition to the US, Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Colombia, and Gabon. The other countries on the council are India, Brazil, South Africa, Lebanon, China and Russia.MK Ahmed Tibi, who accompanied Abbas to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, told Army Radio Wednesday morning that after presenting his request for membership in the UN on Friday, the PA president will return to Ramallah where he will present three possible further actions.One of those options, Tibi said, "will be dramatic."Click for full Jpost coverage161226
