NEW DELHI:(Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008) India on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to the cause of Palestine and reiterated its support for a negotiated solution of the issue.
“India believes that the solution should be based on the relevant U.N. Resolutions, the Arab Peace Plan and the Quartet road map resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.
He was speaking at a ceremony held to lay the foundation stone for the Palestine chancery building here in the presence of Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Dr. Singh regretted that despite last year’s Annapolis Conference on peace in West Asia, in which India also took part, the goal of durable and comprehensive peace in the region still remained elusive.
Besides discussing the West Asia peace process, the two leaders talked about ways of increasing cooperation between their countries. Dr. Singh said India would continue to do all it could to assist Palestine in all its endeavours, including in capacity and institution building.
India and Palestine signed a memorandum of understanding to finance construction of a school, to be named the Jawaharlal Nehru High School, in Abu Dees near Jerusalem.
Dr. Singh announced a $ 20-million grant (Rs. 90 crore) including $10 million in budgetary support to the Palestinian National Authority to help meet its immediate requirements and an additional $10 million as assistance for development projects.
The visiting leader appreciated the gesture noting, “India is giving us support without us asking it” and said he was surprised to hear more announcements of aid coming whenever he visited New Delhi.
Mr. Abbas said relations between India and Palestine were developing day by day. New Delhi’s gesture reflected its deep commitment and support that dated back to several decades. India was playing an important role in all fields including the peace process and the Palestinians appreciated New Delhi’s support.
Referring to violence in occupied territories including Gaza, Dr. Singh said: “We are shocked and dismayed by the violence… we hope that wiser counsel will prevail and that the path of dialogue will remain the preferred path to realise peace in the region.”
Later, President Pratibha Patil hosted a banquet in honour of Mr. Abbas. In her speech, she recalled India’s position on the Palestinian question and said its solidarity with the Palestine people had been unambiguously articulated since the days of its freedom struggle.
“For India, commitment to the Palestinian cause has been an important part of foreign policy and has been manifested in the continuous and consistent support to its issues in the Non-Aligned Movement, in the United Nations and on other international fora.”
Ms. Patil commended the indomitable spirit of the Palestine people and reaffirmed India’s principled and unwavering support to their just cause. “We have always considered that the conflict in West Asia is essentially political in nature and, therefore, cannot be resolved by force.”
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