India FM reiterates country's support to Palestine

Ramallah, Jan 12 (PTI) Pitching for continuation of dialogue between Israel and Palestinians, India has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Palestine cause and hoped that recent parleys held between the two sides will help find a permanent solution. India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who was here on a day long visit on Wednesday, met the entire top Palestinian leadership including President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Krishna, who is on a visit to the Middle East and had visited Israel and Jordan in the first leg of his tour, said he had a very "revealing" trip. "I have had a very interesting visit to Jordan, Israel and Palestine. It has been very revealing and it is also something that one has to experience oneself in order to understand and appreciate the genesis of this problem of Palestine, Israel," Krishna told PTI on his way back to Jordan en-route to UAE. "It is India's fond hope that the talks which are being explored between the two sides will be continued and they will find a purposeful end in terms of finding a permanent solution which has eluded time and personalities," Krishna said adding, "I wish their efforts best wishes." Krishna's visit came in the backdrop of Jordan playing host to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on January 3, the first in more than a year. The Minister, who drove into the city from Jeruslaem, had a marathon over one and half hours luncheon with Abbas. He also met with Fayyad and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki. Krishna's visit to both Israel and Palestine assumes significance because it is the first by an Indian Foreign Minister in the last 11 years. Official sources said the Palestinian leadership expressed great appreciation for India's support to them especially in getting full membership at the UNESCO, last year. The two sides also discussed various issues of common interest as well as regional matters. The sources also said that the two sides discussed how to deepen the cooperation through other mechanisms. Palestinian Foreign Ministry officials said Palestine holds India in high regard and considers it as a friend and supporter. Sources said Krishna's had reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to the cause of Palestine. Krishna traveled throughout the city under heavy security and had come in through the Beitunya check-point. Interestingly, India was the first non-Arab country to recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988 when it was declared. Even though India has supported Palestine on a number of international forums, its friendship with Israel has also flourished. "Our relationship with (one) country does not affect our ties with the others. We have stated position on international issues," a diplomatic source said. After spending a substantial part of the day in West Bank, Krishna drove back to Amman through Israel and left for Dubai. In Dubai he will hold talks with his UAE counterpart and then fly back to India. PTI