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Palestine may become PACE partner for democracy – Kosachyov

The partner status allows sending representatives to Assembly sessions but without a vote. A similar status has been granted to Tunisia

MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) —— Palestine may become a partner for democracy at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), head of the Russian delegation to the Assembly and the State Duma International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachyov said on Friday.

He said the issue would be put on the Assembly vote during the autumnal session of October 3-7. Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas may take part in the debates, Kosachyov said. “It is so far unknown whether he may attend the meeting or not. That is quite possible,” he said.

Kosachyov does not doubt that the Assembly will vote for partnership with Palestine. “Let us see how the UN discussion goes, but I think that the Assembly will grant Palestine with this status anyway,” he said.

The partner status allows sending representatives to Assembly sessions but without a vote. A similar status has been granted to Tunisia.

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