Committee considering the Palestinian request for full UN membership

The Security Council president, Nigeria’s Ambassador Joy Ogwu, “will give an update on the progress done so far,” said another diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The discussions within the 15-member Security Council could last until the end of the October or beyond before the Palestinian request goes to a vote, diplomats say.

It takes nine votes in favor and no vetoes to approve a recommendation to the General Assembly for the admission of a new state.

The United States has said it would veto a vote in favor of admitting Palestine to the United Nations, arguing that a real two-state solution can only come from a deal reached with Israel through direct talks.

Washington has deployed intensive diplomatic efforts to prevent the Palestinians from getting nine favorable votes, so as to avoid having to cast a veto that would be damaging to US interests in the Muslim world.

If the Security Council bid fails, the Palestinians are expected to go to the UN General Assembly to seek observer state membership of the UN. They would almost certainly get a majority in favor."
Security Council meets on Palestinian membership: "
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On October 26th, Middle East "Quartet" (Russia, the U.S., the U.N. and the E.U.) will meet with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority

The negotiations will be held in Jerusalem during which the mediators will try, yet again, to build a direct dialogue between the conflicting parties. The representatives of the Quartet will also hold separate meetings with the Israelis and the Palestinians. Peace talks between the two were suspended for over a year ago due to the resumption by Israeli of settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the West Bank."

Oct 18, 2011 01:03 Moscow Time

Middle East Quartet. Photo: RIA Novosti

Quartet to update talks: Voice of Russia: "'via Blog this'

World faiths, "a common path" to peace...

Two hundred non-Christian religious leaders will join the pope for a ceremony on October 27 that is being boycotted however by the influential Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, the Vatican said.

Pope Benedict XVI is hosting the event in favour of world peace, which was started by his predecessor John Paul II in Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis, and a variety of faiths will be represented including Islam. Among the spiritual leaders attending will be Baha'i, Buddhists, Confucianists, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Sikhs, Taoists and Zoroastrians, joining 100 Christian leaders, Vatican officials said at a news conference on Tuesday. A total of 69 Muslim leaders will also be present from 19 countries including Iran and Saudi Arabia, said Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace."
AFP: World faiths to attend Vatican ceremony: "
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