Haaretz
March 15, 2011 - 12:00am
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/france-says-eu-recognition-of-pale...


French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday that European Union recognition of a Palestinian state could be a "possibility that should be kept in mind," according to AFP.

"There's no point recognizing the Palestinian state on our own. It must be done together," AFP quoted Juppe as saying about recognition by EU countries.

"Personally we're not there yet, I think that it's a possibility that should be kept in mind," he said.

As a response to the deadlock in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a number of countries have started upgrading the diplomatic status of Palestinian representatives in their countries, Denmark being the latest one to do so by upgrading the PA from general delegation to mission.

Britain's Foreign Office said Monday it would upgrade the status of the Palestinian representation in London as an "administrative step." But in an address to Parliament, Foreign Secretary William Hague cited "the extent of our aid to the Palestinian Authority and our work with them" as the reason.

In recent months France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the United States and other countries have announced similar upgrades to PA diplomatic delegations.




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