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Cyprus upgrades Palestinian diplomatic mission to embassy status

Associated Press
Published | Updated

CORRECTS SPELLING OF MARCOULLIS IN FIRST INSTANCE - Cyprus' Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, right, with counterpart Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki during a press conference at Foreign House in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Cyprus’ foreign minister says the Palestinian diplomatic mission to the country has been upgraded to embassy status. Marcoullis said after talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki, that the upgrade is in line with Cyprus’ recognition of Palestinian statehood in 1988 along with seven other European countries that have also since become European Union members. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (The Associated Press)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF MARCOULLIS IN FIRST INSTANCE - Cyprus' Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, right, with counterpart Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki during a press conference at Foreign House in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Cyprus’ foreign minister says the Palestinian diplomatic mission to the country has been upgraded to embassy status. Marcoullis said after talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki, that the upgrade is in line with Cyprus’ recognition of Palestinian statehood in 1988 along with seven other European countries that have also since become European Union members. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (The Associated Press)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF MARCOULLIS IN FIRST INSTANCE - Cyprus' Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, left with counterpart Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki during a press conference at Foreign House in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Cyprus’ foreign minister says the Palestinian diplomatic mission to the country has been upgraded to embassy status. Marcoullis said after talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki, that the upgrade is in line with Cyprus’ recognition of Palestinian statehood in 1988 along with seven other European countries that have also since become European Union members. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (The Associated Press)

Cyprus' foreign minister says the Palestinian diplomatic mission to his country has been upgraded to embassy status.

Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said after talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki on Friday that the upgrade is in line with Cyprus' recognition of Palestinian statehood in 1988 along with seven other European countries that have also since become European Union members.

Cyprus supported the Palestinians' successful bid last year in the United Nations General Assembly to elevate their status from U.N. observer to nonmember observer state.

Malki said there are some 100 Palestinian diplomatic missions around the world, most of which have full embassy status.