PA: Nigeria, Gabon to support UN bid

Palestinian FM Riad al-Malki claims Palestinian Authority obtained support of eight countries, including Nigeria, Gabon, for upcoming UN vote. 'Working on getting ninth vote,' he says. PA now shifts focus to Colombia, Bosnia Herzegovina.

Elior Levy|Published: 09.29.11 , 12:01

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki announced Thursday that the Palestinian Authority has managed to obtain the support of eight countries for the upcoming United Nations vote on the Palestinian bid for statehood.

"We're working on getting the ninth vote," al-Malki told Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine, adding that their main focus now shifts to Colombia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Extensive coverage of the Palestinian statehood bid:

According to the Palestinian FM, aside from Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Lebanon, which have already stated their support for the Palestinians, Nigeria and Gabon are also expected to vote in favor of the bid.

Abbas returns from UN Assembly (Photo: Reuters)

However even if the Palestinian obtain the minimum support of nine out of 15 UN Security Council members, their membership bid is not expected to go through since the United States has already stated it plans to veto it.

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Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat confirmed Wednesday that they have been vigorously trying to rally up UN Security Council members' support. The PA had also sent two Palestinian delegations to Nigeria and Gabon to convince them to support the Palestinian UN membership bid.

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The United Nations' Security Council took its first official step 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.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan (Photo: AP)

The process could take weeks before it comes to a final vote in the UNSC, 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.

Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas met Wednesday with members of the central committee of his Fatah movement to discuss the Quartet's proposal and the UN move.

He is expected to meet the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation over the same issues on Thursday.