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12:28 GMT
MOSCOW, Nov 23 (KUNA) -- Russia announced Sunday its intention to vote for a UN Security Council resolution on the formation of an independent Palestinian state.
Russia will support the resolution on the formation of a Palestinian state in the UN Security Council, Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Russian news agency Interfax.
The Russian top official, however, expressed concern that the resolution could be blocked by a US veto.
Russia does not rule out a US veto on the resolution, Bogdanov cautioned.
He expected that a US veto would lead to more complications to the situation as the Palestinian Authority intends to apply for the membership of all international organizations including the International Criminal Court.
He noted that Russia and European countries share similar views on the Palestinians bid to have their own country.
Many European countries now see that it became necessary to recognize the Palestinian State as the Swedish government did recently, Bogdanov said.
Palestine's draft resolution, which has yet to be submitted to the UN Security Council, calls for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and East Jerusalem.
In 2012, the UN General Assembly made Palestine a "non-member observer state" and by September 2013, the Palestinian State had been recognized by 134 UN members, including Russia. (end)
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