Unofficial transcript 
Agenda item 37 “Question of Palestine”, November 29, 2012

RUSSIAN FEDERATION:  Thank you, Madam Vice President.  The Russian Federation voted for the resolution to increase the Palestinian status in the UN to an observer state.  This step is in keeping with the principled position of our country.  
As is known, in 1988 we decided to recognize the declaration of Palestinian statehood.  For some time now in Moscow, there has been a Palestinian embassy working.  We consider support of today's resolution by the majority of countries of the world as an important milestone in reinstating historic equality.  65 years ago on this day, a well-known resolution was adopted on the partition of the Palestinian mandate into two states.  Half of this resolution was implemented, and now it is important that side by side in peace and security with Israel, an independent and viable Palestinian state exist.
In the view of authoritative international organizations and influential regional unions, the majority of countries of the world as well, over the past years the Palestinian National Administration was able to take great strides forward in establishing a Palestinian state, establishing necessary foundations for this.  The primary issue hampering the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people is foreign occupation.  
In voting in support of the resolution, we took into account the assurances given to us by the Palestinian government regarding the fact that this step is not aimed -- it is not targeting Israel, nor does it seek to isolate it and that political negotiations to resolve the issues are for Palestinians a sine qua non.  
We are counting on a responsible and measured reaction from Israel and other interested parties regarding the updating of the status of Palestine in the UN.  We believe that any activities to avenge this political approach of Palestinians in the UN would be collective punishment of the people as a whole, and this for us would be categorically unacceptable.  
We believe it important that as promised by the PMA, the upgrading of the Palestinian status in the UN would lead to a swift resumption of substantive negotiations between Palestine and Israel on all matters of primal status.  For its part, Russia as an active member of the international community and active member of the Middle Eastern quartet, shall continue to do its utmost to foster, amongst other things in the four-party talks, a resumption of Palestinian/Israeli talks on a well-known international law basis to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this situation of Palestinian/Israeli settlement and overcome a stalemate, we called for the convening of a ministerial meeting of the quarter.  I thank you, Madam President.