Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) hands a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting Palestinian statehood, during the 66th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 22, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday forwarded to the Security Council the Palestinian application for formal recognition of their statehood, a UN spokesman said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had earlier filed the application with Ban. The Security Council is expected to take some time to consider the Palestinian application, which the United States has promised to veto should it be brought to a vote.