London, Yiannis Haniotakis

The United Kingdom is in talks with France on the recognition of a Palestinian state at an international conference that is expected to take place next month and will focus on promoting the solution of the two states, as the Guardian writes. This was confirmed by British Foreign Minister David Lami, speaking to the Lord’s International Relations Committee.

Lami argued that the United Kingdom wants to take the step when it has an impact and not at a symbolic moment, adding that recent recognition of Palestine by some European countries had no effect.

“No one has the right to veto when the United Kingdom will recognize this Palestinian state. We have always said that recognition is not an end in itself and we would prefer recognition as part of a process towards the solution of the two states, “the British Foreign Minister said. “President Macron had a lot to say about it, more recently, along with the Saudis, and of course we are in discussion with them right now.”

As he added, “it is unacceptable for any group of people to live without a state for longer than I am alive.”

However, as the Guardian notes, “the recognition of Palestine by two permanent UN Security Council members would be a strong statement, but faces many diplomatic obstacles, including the need for greater clarity about what France proposes and whether recognition could be part of a territory.”