Paris – France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, declared on Saturday that there should be no restrictions on access to next month’s UN General Assembly following the announcement that the United States would not issue visas to members of the Palestinian Authority, reports 24brussels.
During a session of EU foreign ministers in Denmark, Barrot emphasized, “A UN General Assembly meeting… should not be subject to any restrictions on access.” Multiple ministers echoed France’s appeal for the U.S. to allow the Palestinian delegation to participate.
The U.S. has denied President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority a visa for the upcoming UN General Assembly, set to occur when several nations may recognize a Palestinian state. This unprecedented decision comes as France leads initiatives to support Palestinian recognition at the global leaders’ summit in New York.
The U.S. State Department confirmed on Friday that it is “denying and revoking visas” for members of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). A State Department representative noted,
“Abbas is impacted by this action, along with about 80 other PA officials.”
What reasons did the US give for visa refusals?
In its announcement regarding the denial of visas, the State Department accused the PA and the PLO of actions that have significantly hindered Hamas’s willingness to release hostages and have jeopardized Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
“Before we take them seriously as partners in peace, the PA and PLO must completely reject terrorism and stop counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state,”
stated State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
How did the Palestinian Authority respond to the US move?
The Palestinian presidency expressed
“deep regret and astonishment at the US State Department’s decision not to grant visas to the Palestinian delegation participating in the UN General Assembly meetings next September.”
The presidency urged the U.S. to
“reconsider and reverse its decision.”
Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, commented,
“We will see exactly what it means and how it applies to any of our delegation, and we will respond accordingly.”
Could Washington’s decision violate international obligations to the UN?
Experts warn that denying Abbas a visa would disregard an agreement acknowledging Palestine’s status as a non-member observer state. According to the 1947 U.N. Headquarters Agreement between the U.S. and the U.N., as the host nation, the U.S. is obligated to allow representatives of UN member states and observers access for official duties at the U.N. headquarters in New York.
This agreement fundamentally prohibits the U.S. from denying visas to diplomats and officials traveling to the UN for official engagements.
