The Syrian foreign ministry said Monday that Damascus recognizes a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital within the borders in effect prior to the 1967 Six-Day War.

"Syria recognizes a Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders and east Jerusalem as its capital, and on the basis of the preservation of Palestinian legitimate rights," a statement said.

Syria "will treat the Damascus office of the PLO as an embassy upon the publication of this statement," the ministry added.

The PLO plans to ask the UN General Assembly to recognize a Palestinian state when the world body gathers in September, a move opposed by Israel and the United States which say progress can only be made through peace negotiations.

The application for UN membership will be submitted by the Arab League, the head of the pan-Arab organization, Nabil al-Arabi, said on Thursday in Qatar.

The Arab peace initiative committee "has decided to submit a call to the member states of the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state," Arabi told a news conference after a meeting of the committee in Doha.