U.K. will not recognize unilateral Palestinian state, official says

[azurnoir]

A British Foreign Office minister said Thursday that only direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations can achieve peace, adding that the U.K would not recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state.


Wrapping up a Mideast tour that included stops in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Alistair Burt said in Jordan on Thursday that Britain would not recognize a Palestinian state unless it emerged from a peace deal with Israel.

Speaking with the Palestinian Ma'an news agency, Burt said London could not "recognize a state that does not have a capital, and doesn’t have borders."

"We are looking forward to recognizing a Palestinian state at the end of the negotiations on settlements because our position is again very straightforward: We wish to see a two-state solution, a secure and recognized Israel side by side with a viable Palestine, Jerusalem as a joint capital and agreed borders," Burt said.

Referring to the possibility of reviving defunct Middle East peace talks, Burt acknowledged that while direct talks that began in September and collapsed soon after might be difficult to revive now, negotiations were "most likely" to result in Palestinian statehood and guarantee Israel's security.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-k-will-not-recognize-unilateral-palestinian-state-official-says-1.338182