Palestine can count on about 12 Yes votes by EU countries when it
tries to upgrade its UN status, in a move expected later this month.
EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told EUobserver on Thursday (8 November) that foreign ministers will discuss the subject at a regular meeting in Brussels on 19 November.
She added: "The EU maintains that negotiations remain the best way forward to resolve the Middle East peace process."
A senior EU diplomat told this website the Union is divided on the question, however. He noted that member states' votes "will probably follow the same pattern as with Unesco," referring to a decision by the UN's Paris-based cultural office to admit Palestine as a member last year.
At the time, 11 countries - Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Spain - backed its Unesco entry.
Another 11 - Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK - abstained. The other five - the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden - voted No.
Some positions might have shifted over the past 12 months.
Cyprus and Israel have developed closer ties over joint exploration of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea.
But Israel lost an ally when Dutch foreign minister Uri Rosenthal left his post in a new coalition government this week.
Read more: http://euobserver.com/foreign/118149
EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told EUobserver on Thursday (8 November) that foreign ministers will discuss the subject at a regular meeting in Brussels on 19 November.
She added: "The EU maintains that negotiations remain the best way forward to resolve the Middle East peace process."
A senior EU diplomat told this website the Union is divided on the question, however. He noted that member states' votes "will probably follow the same pattern as with Unesco," referring to a decision by the UN's Paris-based cultural office to admit Palestine as a member last year.
At the time, 11 countries - Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Spain - backed its Unesco entry.
Another 11 - Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK - abstained. The other five - the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden - voted No.
Some positions might have shifted over the past 12 months.
Cyprus and Israel have developed closer ties over joint exploration of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea.
But Israel lost an ally when Dutch foreign minister Uri Rosenthal left his post in a new coalition government this week.
Read more: http://euobserver.com/foreign/118149
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