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Abbas scheduled to visit Colombia after crucial support vote for Palestine

Saturday, October 1st 2011 - 06:32 UTC
Full article 29 comments
Minister Holguín said Colombia will not change its position: abstention Minister Holguín said Colombia will not change its position: abstention

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas is scheduled to visit Colombia, a country which holds a non permanent seat at the UN Security Council and could cast a decisive vote for the recognition of a State of Palestine.

“We’re coordinating the dates, most probably in the week of 10 October”, said Colombian Foreign Affairs minister Maria Angela Holguín. “I think it is important for president Abbas to personally address the issue with President (Juan Manuel) Santos, as he did with several other leaders at the UN”.

Abbas presented in the current General Assembly a formal request to have the Palestine Authority recognized as a UN full member.

Contrary to most of the rest of Latin America Colombia supports the view that a State of Palestine must be the result of a negotiated solution with Israel, position that Ms Holguín ratified last week.

“Colombia’s position dates back to many years and we are consistent with that policy: with no dialogue between the sides involved it’s going to be very difficult to live in peace in the region”.

Abbas visit to Colombia, and Honduras, Dominican Republic and Portugal, was announced following on Palestine delegates statements that they have managed the support of at least eight of fifteen members of the Security Council.

With nine votes out of 15, and if there is no veto, the Security Council can make a recommendation for statehood and the request would then be examined by the General Assembly.

“We already have eight votes in the Council that will be supporting Palestine and we are working hard for the ninth and tenth votes”, said Rivad al-Malki, Foreign Affairs minister of the PNA.

Six members of the Security Council have anticipated their vote in favour of the Palestinians: China, Russia, Brazil, India, Lebanon, and South Africa. A further two have promised their vote, Nigeria and Gabon.

Other countries remain undecided or have not disclosed their positions: France, Germany, UK, Bosnia and Portugal. Colombia has advanced it would abstain from casting a vote.

“We are not going to recognize (the State of Palestine) because others do so”, said Minister Holguin who added that a vote in the Security Council “won’t achieve anything”.

“The Security Council already has the US that has announced it will veto any possibility on the issue, so it’s not a matter of more of less votes”, said Holguín.

The main ally of the US in Latin America Colombia has very good relations with Israel. Besides the non permanent seat in the Security Council, Colombia currently holds the chair of Unasur with former minister Maria Emma Mejía.
 

Categories: Politics, Latin America.

Top Comments

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  • oz

    The us is like a huge bully in the world and will continue to seek it's own illigitimate and imperialistic agenda regardless of the people that die or are hurt because of it. http://www.generalconsultant.info
    http://www.generalconsultant.info/blog-page-the-hardest-trail-to-follow.html

    Oct 01st, 2011 - 09:45 am 0
  • GeoffWard2

    A UNSC 'recognition' does not a state make.

    A territory managed by the winner in a regional war cannot be ridden-over, roughshod, by non-interested parties who would wish the realities of the region were otherwise.

    No,
    there should be, and there will not be, any change in the situation on the ground without the explicit, documented, recognition of:

    (i) the leaders and warlords of both 'Palestine' Territories ,
    (ii) the political leaders AND the religious leaders of all Arab and non-Arab middle east countries, and
    (iii) each and every member nation of the UNSC.

    What do they need to recognise and document before any recognition of new states in and around greater Israel?

    (i) The right of Israel to exist,
    (ii) The right of Israel to exist where it is, and
    (iii) The right of Israel to exist without being threatened or attacked by neighbouring or regional states or their proxies.

    Only then should the boundary and township issues be negotiated through to permanent, documented and signed agreement.

    This set of Rights must be underwritten by the UNSC, and ratified by the UNGA on behalf of the world community,
    committing unanimously, explicity and automatically to
    (i) condemn AND
    (ii) bring counter-action by the world community as represented by the nations of the UN General Assembly, using the full resources of the *armed forces* of the nations of the UNSC,
    if and when any subsequent attack or incursion on Israel by countries, proxy organisations or disaffected individuals takes place, and when called upon to do so by Israel itself, and acting in co-ordinated response with the Israeli armed forces..

    This is a high-priced deal for the nations of the UN, and particularly the UNSC.
    They would have a powerful vested interest to ensure that NO outbreak of violence in the region EVER took place again.

    Oct 01st, 2011 - 01:27 pm 0
  • geo

    i must say that i don't like Jews............!
    BUT
    i know deeply Theodore Herzl's activities in the history .........!

    Oct 01st, 2011 - 01:48 pm 0
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