India to fully support Palestine's move for statehood

Notwithstanding the United States' opposition to membership of Palestinian Authority in the United Nations, India on Friday said it will fully support such a move but is still not certain whether the issue would go to the General Assembly.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will present to the General Assembly the proposal for recognition as a Atate after his address, to make it known that the Authority is ready to assume responsibilities of a state and to seek UN recognition.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri said efforts were being made to dissuade the Palestinian Authority from going ahead with its move.

"I believe that the events of the last two days have left the Palestinians with many choices. Unless something happens, I see the membership process going through," he said.

Full membership depends on the nine approved votes in the Security Council as well as concurrence of the five permanent members. The US would prefer not to make a veto but will not hesitate to do so.

The Palestinians could go to the General Assembly and seek an enhancement of their status from observer entity to non-member observer state.

Puri said India's support to the Palestinian state is absolutely categorical.

He recalled that India was among the first non-Arab countries to recognise the Palestinian state and India will support the Palestinian state fully.