Non-Aligned Summit in Belgrade, Historic Moment for Creation of Independent Palestinian State?

The day after the diplomacy chiefs and highest officials from 113 countries gathered in Belgrade to mark 50th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement, first political messages from the gathering emerged in the media. While some countries are looking to expanding their economies to the new markets, others are trying to vow support for their political aims.

The Palestinian observer to the UN, Riyad Mansour, expects all former Yugoslav countries, including Serbia, to support "the will of the Palestinians to become independent":

"Palestine is satisfied with the results of the meeting, and the debate at which nearly all NAM members expressed support to the people of Palestine", Mansour said in Belgrade.

"This is a historic moment for Palestine," he was quoted saying by Tanjug News Agency, adding that, at the forthcoming UN General Assembly, "Palestine will try to obtain a two-thirds majority for the request for independence and UN membership".

The Palestinian request is very unlikely to get approval in the UN Security Council, because of opposition of veto-wielding United States, Great Britain and France.

However, if the NAM backed it in the General Assembly “it is quiet possible that the fate of a great vote in New York will be decided in Belgrade”, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said.

“It wasn’t our intention to have political discussions here, but non-aligned decided to have it. It’s an exceptionally important global issue,” Jeremic told journalists.

Meanwhile, the analysts assessed the host of the summit, Serbia, is trying to get support in its attempts to roll back Kosovo's three-year independence. So far, 81 countries have recognized Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence, and 32 of these states are members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Referring to the Kosovo issue, the Palestinian observer to the UN said the case of Palestine was "typical foreign occupation which cannot be compared to the issue of Kosovo", as according to the international law and the UN, the occupation can only be temporary, and that it is time for it to end by a mutually workable solution.

The Belgrade’s NAM summit is being attended by 600 delegates from India, Indonesia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Algeria and other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as by observers from the UN, OIC, Arab League and African Union, along with representatives from Hungary, Spain and Finland.