The British and French governments are reportedly planning to abstain if the Palestinian Authority's unilateral bid for UN membership reaches a vote.
The Palestinians won membership of the UN cultural agency UNESCO week, a move which France backed but Britain abstained on.
A UN diplomat told the BBC that Britain and France made their positions clear during Security Council talks. Although both countries are committed to a two-state solution, there are concerns in both that the UN bid will damage rather than further the peace process. However , neither country has confirmed its position.
Abstentions from the two European permanent members of the Security Council would be welcomed by Israel and by the United States, who have already vowed to oppose it.
