India votes to raise Palestine, Vatican flags at UN

UNITED NATIONS: India was among 119 nations that voted in support of a UN General Assembly resolution granting the right to non-member observer States of Palestine and the Vatican to raise their flags at the world body's headquarters along side the flags of UN member nations.

The resolution 'Raising the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations' was adopted yesterday by a vote of 119 in favour to 8 against, with 45 delegations abstaining.

Voting against the resolution were Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Tuvalu and the United States.

By the terms of that text, the General Assembly decided that the flags of non-member observer States maintaining permanent observer missions at Headquarters shall be raised at Headquarters and United Nations offices following the flags of the Members States of the Organisation.

The Assembly took the decision noting the participation of non-member observer States that maintain permanent observer missions at Headquarters, of which there are currently two - the Holy See and Palestine, in its sessions and work.

The text of the resolution also requested Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon to take "the measures necessary" for the implementation of the decision during the Assembly's 70th session, which begins on September 15, and within 20 days of the adoption of the resolution.

Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour hailed the "historic vote," calling it "another step towards fulfillment of the promise of independence made to the Palestinian people nearly seven decades ago."

Palestine became an observer state in 2012. The Vatican has been a non-member observer state since 1964.