Palestine Submitted Application To Become UN Member State

By Nani Rahayu Yusof

NEW YORK, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas submitted an application for Palestine to become a United Nations member state yesterday.

Abbas handed over the application to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the UN Headquarters in New York before addressing the General Assembly. Palestine currently has observer status at the UN.

Under the provisions of the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is tasked with verifying any letter requesting UN membership, after which he sends it to the Security Council and the General Assembly.

The application is considered by the council, which decides whether or not to recommend admission to the 193-member assembly, which has to adopt a resolution for the admission of any new member state.

Abbas told the assembly that Palestine is applying for full membership of the UN on the basis of the June 4 1967 borders.

"Palestine is being reborn. This is my message," he said, adding that he hoped it did not have to wait long for the application to be approved.

"I call upon Mr Secretary-General to expedite transmittal of our request to the Security Council, and I call upon the distinguished members of the Security Council to vote in favour of our full membership. I also appeal to the states that have not yet done so to recognize the State of Palestine.", he told the General Assembly as many delegates gave him a standing ovation.

Some delegates again gave the Palestinian Authority leader a standing ovation, with a few even whistling in support, when Abbas showed a copy of the application submitted to Ban.