December 21, 2010
Erekat: EU countries to upgrade Palestinian missions
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Some 10 European Union countries have plans to upgrade the status of their Palestinian diplomatic missions, lead negotiator Saeb Erekat said.
The upgrades would bring the missions one step closer to becoming embassies whose officials enjoy full diplomatic immunity, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Norway decided last week to upgrade the status of its Palestinian mission, which encouraged the Palestinians to approach several European countries about following suit, Erekat told the Palestinian Ma’an news service.
Erekat did not say which countries he was referring to in Sunday’s announcement.
The European Union will not recognize Palestinian statehood until an “appropriate” time, its Foreign Affairs Council said last week in a statement.
The 27 EU foreign ministers meeting Monday in Brussels issued the statement in response to a letter from Erekat to EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton asking the body to join those countries that already have recognized a unilaterally declared Palestinian state.
