The leadership of Trinidad and Tobago has decided to recognize Palestine as an independent state. This was informed in a statement posted Thursday on the website of the foreign ministry of this Caribbean island country.

"The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has taken the decision, at its meeting of Cabinet today, to formally recognise the State of Palestine. As recommended by the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM [i.e. Caribbean Community] Affairs, Cabinet has determined that the formal recognition of Palestine by the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago will assist in the achievement of a lasting peace by strengthening the growing international consensus on the issue of Palestinian statehood," the Trinidad and Tobago foreign ministry noted, in part, in this statement.