MIDEAST-PALESTINIANS/FRANCE French PM urges Europe to back raising of Palestinian flag at UN

Record ID: 140100

  • Title: MIDEAST-PALESTINIANS/FRANCE French PM urges Europe to back raising of Palestinian flag at UN
  • Date: 10th September 2015
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 10, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) VARIOUS OF FRENCH PRIME MINISTER MANUEL VALLS WELCOMING PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER RAMI HAMDALLAH IN MATIGNON COURTYARD VALLS AND HAMDALLAH SHAKING HANDS VALLS AND HAMDALLAH ENTERING PM'S OFFICE VARIOUS OF VALLS, HAMDALLAH, FRENCH MINISTERS AND PALESTINIAN MINISTERS POSING FOR FAMILY PHOTO IN MATIGNON GARDENS VARIOUS OF FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER MICHEL SAPIN SIGNING AGREEMENT WITH HIS PALESTINIAN COUNTERPART VALLS AND HAMDALLAH ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, MANUEL VALLS, SAYING: "France will continue to accompany the construction of a future Palestinian state. A budgetary aid convention has just been signed. In the coming weeks, eight million euros will be given to the Palestinian finance ministry. It adds up to the eight million euros already given last June. In this way, Palestine will be again the first beneficiary in the world of the French budgetary aid in 2015. Two agreements with the French Agency for Development have also just been signed." CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, MANUEL VALLS, SAYING: "Our support to Palestine stands on principles and it's important to stress what these principles are. That's why France recognized in November 2012 the status of observer state for Palestine and, in coherence with this position, we are in favour of the adoption of the resolution presented today at the United Nations regarding the Palestinian flag. And we wish that our European partners also join us on this position." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING (SOUNDBITE) (ARABIC) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER, RAMI HAMDALLAH, SAYING : "There is no doubt that following the vote tonight, the Palestinian flag will be raised. We would like to thank France and express our consideration after France announced it would vote in favour of this resolution project. It is a step further towards the recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the United Nations and we call on France to take this initiative further in order to create a framework for the end of the occupation. France is at the forefront and we hope France will recognise a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and Jerusalem as its capital." VALLS AND HAMDALLAH SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1EU028GJRK4TQHU1ZWWGOBC83
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: PLEASE NOTE TRANSLATIONS WERE DONE BY AN INTERPRETER AT NEWS CONFERENCE
    French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and his Palestinian counterpart chaired the first Franco-Palestinian joint government meeting in Paris on Thursday (September 10) a few hours before the United Nations is expected to vote to authorize Palestinian flag raising at the organization headquarters.
    The two prime ministers signed a range of political, economical and cultural cooperation agreements.
    Speaking after the signatures, Valls said that France would continue to support the construction of a Palestinian state.
    "France will continue to accompany the construction of a future Palestinian state. A budgetary aid convention has just been signed. In the coming weeks, eight million euros will be given to the Palestinian finance ministry. It adds up to the eight million euros already given last June. In this way, Palestine will be again the first beneficiary in the world of the French budgetary aid in 2015. Two agreements with the French Agency for Development have also just been signed," Valls said.
    The total financial aid from France to the Palestinian state in 2015 will reach about 40 millions euros.
    Valls also said that France is "in favour of a resolution" that seeks to raise the flag of the United Nations' non-member observer states outside U.N. headquarters.
    "Our support to Palestine stands on principles and it's important to stress what these principles are. That's why France recognized in November 2012 the status of observer state for Palestine and, in coherence with this position, we are in favour of the adoption of the resolution presented today at the United Nations regarding the Palestinian flag. And we wish that our European partners also join us on this position," Valls added.
    Hamdallah thanked France for its support and said the raising of the flag was an additional step towards the recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the UN.
    "There is no doubt that following the vote tonight, the Palestinian flag will be raised. We would like to thank France and express our consideration after France announced it would vote in favour of this resolution project. It is a step further towards the recognition of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the United Nations and we call on France to take this initiative further in order to create a framework for the end of the occupation. France is at the forefront and we hope France will recognise a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and Jerusalem as its capital," Hamdallah said.
    The vote in the 193-member General Assembly on the draft, which has angered Israel, is set for September 10.
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