U.S. opposes Palestinian status elevation in U.N.

The United States remains strongly opposed to an Arab move to give Palestine an enhanced status in the United Nations.

State Department spokesman James Rubin said that such a move would have a negative impact on Middle East peace negotiations.

Rubin said "The United States is strongly opposed to enhanced status for the PLO at the United Nations, both because of its potentially negative effects on the peace process, and because of the bad precedent it would set for the U.N. system itself. We have repeatedly urged other U.N. members to oppose this move," he said Thursday.

This issue of elevating the status of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (P.L.O.) is beyond the control of the U.S. since this issue will be decided by the U.N. General Assembly where the U.S. does not hold veto power as in the U.N. Security Council.

The P.L.O. was granted an observer status at the U.N. in 1974. Later, the designation was changed to "Palestinian" allowing Palestinian diplomats access and prestige at the U.N.