This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19746994
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Mahmoud Abbas seeks UN observer status for Palestinians | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Palestinian leader has asked the UN to grant Palestinians "non-member observer state" by the end of the year. | |
Mahmoud Abbas told the General Assembly talks on such a status had begun, and that his eventual aim was to establish Palestine as a full member state. | |
Later Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu is to address the assembly. He is expected to set down a "clear red line" over Iran's nuclear programme. | |
The West suspects Iran is seeking build nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this. | |
Mr Abbas told delegates the annual General Assembly in New York that Palestinians would continue their efforts to obtain full UN membership. | |
He said negotiations had begun with "regional organisations and member states" aimed at adopting a resolution making Palestine "a non-member state of the United Nations during this session". | |
"In our endeavour," he added, "we do not seek to delegitimise an existing state - that is Israel - but rather to assert the state that must be realised - that is Palestine." | |
Currently, the Palestine Liberation Organisation only has "permanent observer" status. Last year, a bid for full-member status failed because of a lack of support at the UN Security Council. | |
The change would allow Palestinians to participate in General Assembly debates. It would also improve their chances of joining UN agencies and the International Criminal Court. | |
Speech boycott | |
Mr Netanyahu is due to speak shortly. | |
On Thursday, an Israeli official told reporters that the prime minister would "set a clear red line" which, if crossed, would lead to military intervention against Iran. | |
"Israel and the US have a common goal to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The prime minister's remarks drawing a red line will help that this is attained," the Associated Press news agency quoted the official as saying. | "Israel and the US have a common goal to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The prime minister's remarks drawing a red line will help that this is attained," the Associated Press news agency quoted the official as saying. |
In his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama stressed the US would "do what we must" to stop Tehran acquiring nuclear arms. | |
But while the Obama administration has not ruled out a military option, it says sanctions and multilateral negotiations with Iran must still be given time to work. | |
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US was not prepared to commit to drawing "red lines", which Mr Netanyahu is insisting on. | Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US was not prepared to commit to drawing "red lines", which Mr Netanyahu is insisting on. |
Mr Netanyahu recently warned that Iran was only six or seven months from having "90%" of what it needed to make a nuclear bomb and that it needed to be stopped. | |
On Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Western countries of nuclear "intimidation", in a UN speech boycotted by the US and Israel. | |
"Continued threat by the uncivilised Zionists [Israel] to resort to military action is a clear example of this bitter reality," he told the General Assembly. | |