| International Desk : Portugal plans to recognise the state of Palestine "as early as September," local media reported, citing sources in the prime minister`s office.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro`s office said on Thursday that if the conditions "presented and largely validated by the states present" at the UN conference are met, Portugal could recognise the Palestinian state "as early as September, at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations" in New York, Diario De Noticias daily and other outlets reported.
Montenegro will first consult with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the nation’s president, and the parties in parliament.
The premier`s office also said that in the past it has already "explained the assumptions or conditions for starting a recognition process,” namely "agreement with a group of countries with whom we have maintained a permanent dialogue and who have actively participated in this conference."
The UN conference on Tuesday urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state and gave “unwavering support” to a two-state solution, and they urged all countries that haven`t recognised the state of Palestine to do so quickly.
A separate one-page statement titled the “New York Call,” approved late on Tuesday by 15 Western nations, says they have recognised, “expressed, or express the willingness or the positive consideration to recognise the state of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-state solution and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call.”
It included six that have recognised the state of Palestine and nine others, including Malta, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday that the country would recognise Palestine as a state in September at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
Malta will also declare recognition of a Palestinian state during the general assembly of the United Nations in September, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday.
Christopher Cutajar, the permanent secretary at Malta`s Foreign Ministry, also made his country`s announcement at the UN General Assembly`s meeting on a two-state solution.
On July 29, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the cabinet that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the "appalling situation" in Gaza and meets other conditions.
On July 24, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will formally recognise the State of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Before France, 10 out of 27 EU countries had already recognised Palestinian statehood.
Belgium has delayed any decision on the Palestinian recognition until early September, the office of Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost said last week.
The country`s five governing parties are divided on the issue, with opposition parties increasing pressure to join Macron`s initiative.
Last year, Ireland, Norway, and Spain recognised Palestinian statehood.
Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Romania recognised Palestine in 1988, well before they became EU member states.
About 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations recognise Palestine as a state.
The UN General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of a sovereign state of Palestine in November 2012 by upgrading the Palestinians` observer status at the world body to "non-member state" from "entity."
Source: TRT World
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