The United Nations Security Council has for the first time passed a resolution calling for a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Bulgaria as UN Security Council non-permanent member voted in favor of the resolution. Foreign Ministry officials expressed the hope that the resolution will help to put an end to the violence in the Near East. The US-drafted document "affirming a vision" of a Palestinian state was backed by 14 out of 15 members of the Security Council, with the abstention of Syria. The Palestinians praised the move, while Israel said it welcomed a "balanced" resolution. The UN resolution demanded "immediate cessation of all acts of violence, including terror, provocation, incitement and destruction" and urged Israel and the Palestinians to take steps towards resuming peace talks. The UN said it was "affirming a vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognised borders".In a separate development, Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Petkov discussed the situation in the Middle East at a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. The officials also discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries. The schedule of the Bulgarian delegation envisaged meeting with Palestinian leader Arafat, which was cancelled due to the situation in the town of Ramallah.