The UN Security Council is expected to meet on Friday to discuss the Palestinian bid for statehood, two weeks after President Mahmoud Abbas took his application to the international body .

The Security Council will review the decision as Middle East negotiators from the Quartet meet in Brussels to discuss ways to revive peace talks.

According to the Nigerian UN ambassador, who is currently president of the council, the council committee reviewing the application will meet for the first time this week.

U Joy Ogwu said they would "neither be stalled nor be stampeded" and vowed that the discussions would be transparent.

It is believed that the Palestinians also want to pursue full membership of the UN cultural agency UNESCO. An Associated Press report said Palestinian delegates planned to submit the request at a meeting of the body's board in Paris today.