France said Friday it would abstain when the United Nations Security Council votes next week on whether to admit Palestine as a full member of the world body.

The announcement came days after France, a permanent member of the Security Council, voted to approve a similar Palestinian demand for membership in UNESCO, the UN body for education, science and culture.
The French foreign ministry issued a statement at a weekly briefing saying: "While the region is experiencing upheaval, the legitimacy of the Palestinian aspiration for statehood is indisputable. However, the Palestinian request has no chance of success in the Security Council due, in particular, to the opposition expressed by the United States. France, through the President of the Republic’s words before the United Nations General Assembly on September 21st, warned the international community of the risks of confrontation and deadlock that such a scheme could create."
"This is why, yesterday, during a Membership Committee meeting, France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated that France would have no other option than to abstain in the Security Council," the statement added..
On September 21, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed to allow Palestine’s status to be elevated to that of a non-member observer state in the United Nations, "in order to advance Palestine’s international existence with a view towards a two-state solution."
"This is why France supported Palestine’s request for admission to UNESCO," the foreign ministry said.
The statement called upon "the two parties to make all the necessary compromises in order to restart direct negotiations without delay - the only way to achieve the effective creation of a sovereign, viable Palestinian State living alongside Israel in peace and security on the basis of the 1967 lines with the approved exchange of territory."
A UN diplomat told CNN that Britain, another European permanent member of the Security Council, will also abstain at the vote.
The UN Security Council is set to meet November 11 to discuss a report about whether or not to admit a Palestinian state.
The United States, one of five permanent Security Council members, has warned it will veto the attempt.
However, a veto may not be necessary if a minimum of nine ations -- out of 15 on the U.N. council -- don't support the Palestinians' bid.
Germany said it will not support the Palestinian bid, while Colombia and Portugal are believed to be planning to abstain as well.
Brazil, India, Lebanon, South Africa, Russia and China are expected to support the Palestinians. The position of Nigeria, Gabon, Bosnia and Herzegovina are unclear.