Borrell: Spain, Ireland and other European countries may announce their recognition of the state of Palestine this month
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said Spain, the Republic of Ireland and other EU countries could formally declare their formal recognition of the State of Palestine on May 21.
Borrell’s remarks in an interview with Spanish radio RNE confirmed Spanish and Irish reports on the recognition of Palestine.
Borrell said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had assured him that May 21 was the proposed date for announcing recognition.
An Irish diplomatic official told Euronews that the deadline for giving other European countries the chance to recognize Palestine collectively and unanimous could be postponed.
Norway is one of the non-EU European countries that want to recognize Palestine.
Borrell said Belgium, Slovenia and Malta were among the EU countries seeking recognition of Palestine.
This comes as the UN General Assembly votes on Friday on a resolution making the State of Palestine a full member of the United Nations, where it currently enjoys observer status.
Although the EU supports a so-called two-state solution, which would provide statehood for the Palestinians, and is the largest donor of aid to the Palestinians, it has not yet unanimously supported recognition of Palestinian statehood.
