Colombia has defended its decision to abstain from voting on Palestinian statehood in the UN security council, according to a report by El Espectador.
Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin reasserted Colombia’s stance of abstaining in the vote, preferring that the two parties enter into “direct negotiations.”
According to the report, the foreign minister said, “the position of Colombia is a consistent position we’ve had for many years. If there is no dialogue between the two states, the two peoples, it will be very hard to achieve peace.”
Colombia, a traditional ally of Israel and the United States, has maintained the stance that bilateral diplomacy is the only way to achieve peace. The foreign minister said, “it would be very difficult for a state created in these conditions to be long-lasting.”
The statements were made after the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, allegedly asked Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos to reconsider Colombia’s decision to abstain from voting at the Security Council meeting of the United Nations on Monday.
