Senior Political Reporter
Trinidad and Tobago yesterday supported the vote at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a resolution passed by 143 countries to expand Palestine’s rights and privileges at the United Nations.
“Our nation not only supported this landmark resolution but we were also co-sponsors of the resolution,” Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne added yesterday on the development.
The vote occurred at the UN’s 79th General Assembly, where T&T’s Ambassador Dennis Francis is president.
Browne said the UNGA in New York convened an emergency special session on the Gaza crisis and overwhelmingly passed the resolution, which upgrades Palestine’s rights at the world body as an Observer State, but without offering full membership.
The resolution was approved by 143 countries out of the 193-member world body. Nine voted against it, including the United States and Israel. There were 25 abstentions.
This country’s Charge d’affaires represented at the meeting.
Browne, who is currently in Ghana with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, said, “I’m pleased to indicate that, consistent with Trinidad and Tobago’s principled support for the advancement of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people at the United Nations General Assembly, our nation not only supported the landmark resolution but we were also co-sponsors of the resolution.
“We’ll continue to advance and align with measures aimed at achieving a genuine two-State solution and an end to the cycle of violence that has affected all the people of that region.”
Browne added, “Trinidad and Tobago has consistently supported the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the resolution of the ongoing conflict through a two-State solution. This position on Palestine is congruent with T&T’s foreign policy, which is founded on, inter alia, respect and adherence to international law and to the principles of the Charter of the UN. The position of the Government on the self-determination of Palestine is in alignment with that of Caricom.”
Adoption of the resolution will upgrade Palestine’s rights within the world body. But in its capacity as an observer State, Palestine does not have the right to vote in the UN’s General Assembly or put forward its candidature to UN groups such as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council.
Granting Palestinian membership will require a recommendation from the UN Security Council, Browne noted.
However, Palestine’s additional rights and privileges of participation in the UNGA session, include, among others:
*Be seated among UN member states in alphabetical order;
*Make statements on behalf of a group, including among representatives of major groups;
*Co-sponsor proposals/ amendments, including on behalf of a group;
*Full, effective participation in UN conferences, international conferences and meetings convened under the auspices of the General Assembly or, as appropriate, under the auspices of other UN organs.
Recently, the Government formally recognised Palestine as a state.