UNITED NATIONS - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called upon the UN General Assembly to " issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine. " ? ?

Abbas made the statement at the 193-member General Assembly as he was submitting a historic Palestinian request for an upgraded status of "non-member state" at the United Nations. ?

"The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine," Abbas said. "That is why in specific we are here today."

The Palestinian president was greeted with a long applause as he was walking to the podium of the General Assembly, which is set to vote on the Palestinian request later Thursday.

"In our endeavor today to acquire non-member state status for Palestine in the United Nations, we reaffirm that Palestine will always adhere to and respect the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations and international humanitarian law, uphold equality, guarantee civil liberties, uphold the rule of law, promote democracy and pluralism, and uphold and protect the rights of women," he said.