Last-minute talks and the threat of a US veto have failed to divert Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas from his historic quest to seek state membership at the United Nations

Last-minute talks and the threat of a US veto have failed to divert Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas from his historic quest to seek state membership at the United Nations on Friday.
  
Abbas is to hand the application letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon at 11:35 am (1535 GMT), Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour told AFP, but the UN Security Council vote could take weeks, leaving time for more diplomatic wrangling.
  
"We have been under very big pressure from the United States not to go to the Security Council, before arriving in New York and after. But we are going," Abbas said during a meeting of the Palestinian community in the city.
  
Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will then speak to the UN General Assembly to explain their opposing sides in the latest round of the protracted Middle East conflict, which has dominated this year's UN summit.
  
Negotiators from the Middle East Quartet -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and United Nations -- held talks Thursday on a possible statement that they hoped could get the two sides back to direct talks. A new Quartet meeting could be held Friday, but diplomats from all sides acknowledged it would have no impact on the Palestinians handing over their letter.
  
"We remain focused on supporting and helping the Israelis and Palestinians get back to negotiations," a US official said on condition of anonymity.