French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says Paris remains determined to recognize the state of Palestine at a United Nations conference later this month.
When asked by French commercial radio network RTL whether France, which will co-host the conference with Saudi Arabia, would take steps towards recognition of the Palestinian territories, Barrot reaffirmed, “We are determined to do so.”
He underlined that France and Saudi Arabia would pledge to remove the obstacles to the recognition of the Palestinian state during the international conference, which is slated to run June 17 to 20 in New York.
“France could have made a symbolic decision. That is not the choice we made because we have a special responsibility; it’s France, a permanent member of the Security Council,” the top French diplomat stated.
“If we do it, it’s to change things and ensure that the existence of this Palestinian state becomes more credible, more possible,” he added.
France has been pushing European countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium to jointly recognize the state of Palestine at the forthcoming event.
French President Emmanuel Macron hopes to use the conference to jumpstart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians by having several European states officially recognize Palestinian statehood.
France and the UK would be the first G7 nations to recognize the state of Palestine – a decades-long demand from the Palestinians.
Late last month, the spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK was ready to work with allies and countries in the region to “do what we can to support the foundations of Palestinian statehood.”
More than 140 UN member states recognize the Palestine state, with Spain, Ireland, and Norway joining the ranks last year.
