Erekat: Palestinian membership in UN a must to reach peace

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Member, Saeb Erekat, Monday assured that the PLO’s decision to seek United Nations (UN) recognition and full membership of a Palestinian state  key for reaching peace and two state solution. During a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative Robert Serry and the British Consul General, Sir Vincent Vinn, Erekat discussed the outcomes of the Arab League peace process follow- up committee meeting, held in Al-Dawha, and President Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts, visits and talks to promote the two state solution within the 1967 borders as well as the need to stop Israeli settlement activities in the West bank including East Jerusalem. He also said that going to the UN in September is part of the Palestinian strategy; ending the Israeli occupation and putting back Palestine on the geographical map. He added that the PLO’s efforts are to seek UN full membership of a Palestinian state, not for the declaration of a Palestinian state, since the independence of Palestine was declared in the National meeting held in Algeria in 1988.