Denmark, Finland upgrade status of Palestinian diplomatic representation

STOCKHOLM – Finland and Denmark have become the latest European countries to upgrade the status of Palestinian diplomatic missions.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Danish counterpart Villy Soevndal made the announcement Friday after a meeting of the Nordic foreign ministers in Stockholm.

Soevndal said the move means that "Palestine gets the same status" as embassies from other countries based in Helsinki and Copenhagen, adding that both countries believe Palestinian self-rule has "come very far in recent years."

All five Nordic countries, which also include Sweden, Norway and Iceland, voted in favor of granting status to the Palestinians as a non-member observer state at the U.N. General Assembly in November.