Tunisia welcomed Palestine's access to the status of full membership in UNESCO, after an overwhelming vote (107 votes for, 14 against and 52 abstentions) that took place on Monday, at the organisation's Paris headquarters. The Foreign Ministry pointed out, on Monday in a communiqué, that "Tunisia considers Palestine's joining of  UNESCO as full member is the culmination of efforts constantly exerted by all Palestinian stakeholders represented by its legitimate leadership," with a large support of Arab and foreign countries aimed to make the Palestinian cause better known and mobilise the necessary international back-up. "While congratulating the brotherly Palestinian people on this historic achievement," the communiqué adds, "Tunisia reiterates its call for the international community's support to Palestine's bid for a full membership in the United Nations Organisation," which would speed up the construction of an independent Palestinian State and guarantee the much hoped-for peace in the Middle East region.