CANBERRA/ PNN/

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday that his country will officially recognize the State of Palestine during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to be held next September.

In a speech before the Australian Parliament following a cabinet meeting, Albanese explained that this step affirms Australia's commitment to the two-state solution and recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state.

He stressed that the recognition will not be limited to symbolic matters, but rather aims to contribute to advancing the peace process in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced his country's intention to recognize a Palestinian state.

Peters said that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's government will make a formal decision in September and will present its approach during UN Leaders' Week.

It is worth noting that, in conjunction with the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Issue and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic at the end of last July, several countries, including France, UK, Malta and Canada, announced their intention to recognize the State of Palestine during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly next September.