Malki: Palestinians to apply for UN Membership 23/9

Palestinians will apply for full membership at the United Nations on Sept. 23, risking a U.S. Security Council veto, the Palestinian foreign minister said.A flurry of diplomatic activity led by Tony Blair, representative of the so-called Quartet mediating group, has brought nothing fresh that would persuade Palestinians to change their plans, said the Palestinian Authority minister, Riad Malki. U.S. envoys David Hale and Dennis Ross are scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority President Abbas later today.“Blair did not present us with anything new,” Malki said at a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah. “It’s the same offer that was presented before.”Abbas will present the application to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for consideration by the Security Council after his speech to the General Assembly, which is scheduled for Sept. 23, Malki said. The Obama administration has said it will veto any Palestinian resolution in the Security Council seeking UN membership.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke by phone with Blair yesterday, according to State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who said the U.S. is “working hard” to persuade Palestinians and Israelis to return to peace talks.Peace talks broke down last year when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a partial 10-month construction freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Abbas has said he won’t resume talks while building continues.