UNGA partition plan makes Palestinian state legally standing

Ahmed Fathi Sorour, Speaker of Egypt's People's Assembly and the Arab Parliamentary Union, said the Palestinian State is legally standing by virtue of the UN General Assembly partition plan of 1947, the same resolution that brought Israel into existence.

Sorour was speaking to speakers of six Arab and Mediterranean Parliaments namely of Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Italy, Spain and Israel, who are gathering here to probe the European and Mediterranean role in Mideast peacemaking.

"The General Assembly resolution was reaffirmed by the Palestinian National Council when it called for the establishment of a Palestinian state in December 1988," he added.

"We will not ask Israel to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state but to recognize it," he added.

Israel's Knesset speaker, on his part, said Palestinians had the right to self determination, but declined include his view in the statement to be released by the gathering.

Sorour objected, insisting that his statement be included in the minutes of final statement of the meeting.

Sorour also said that Lebanon and Syria must be invited to the next meeting in Rome, and the Italian parliament speaker agreed.

Sorour arrived in Rome on Saturday on a two-day visit to attend the meetings.