India should play a role in Middle East Peace process: Abbas

Harinder Mishra

Ramallah, Oct 6 (PTI) Describing Indian democracy a "role
model" for the Palestinian people, President of Palestinian
Authority Mahmoud Abbas has said the country can play an
important role in the Middle East peace process.

"India, the second largest populated nation in the world
and the biggest democracy with a booming economy, including
hi-tech, could play an important role in the Middle East peace
process", Abbas told P.T.I. in an interview a day before
leaving for New Delhi.

"It maintains special relations with all the countries in
our region, including the state of Israel, and can do a lot to
push forward the peace process", the Palestinian leader said.

Urging India to actively engage in the process, he said
the "security and stability of our region directly affects the
stability of their region". India has appointed a special
envoy for the region in view of this understanding.

Acknowledging the "unique, historic and strong" ties with
India, the Palestinian leader said that people in Palestine
see India as a "role model" and the bilateral relations are
independent from political party in power in New Delhi.

"All Indian political parties support the Palestinian
cause and we salute the Indian people and all the parties.
India continues to be one of the pioneering countries in
support of the Palestinian rights in international circles",
Abbas emphasised.

"India is one of the first countries with which we
exchanged diplomatic representation on the eve of the
establishment of the Palestinian National Authority. It is
also worth mentioning that India was one of the first states
to recognise the P.L.O. through opening a representation
office on its soil and among the first to recognise the
declaration of the state of Palestine in 1988", he pointed
out.

"Our people value the strong support from India to their
liberty and independence. Given India's richness in humanity
and liberty our people look at it as a role model. It is not
a coincidence that thousands of our people study in India",
the Palestinian leader added.

Appreciating India's aid of USD 15 million to the P.A.,
the President said that active efforts should be made between
the two sides to start contacts at the ministerial level and
India's expertise in industry, technology and hi-tech should
be utilised to revive the Palestinian economy.

Abbas will meet his Indian counterpart, Pratibha Patil,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice President Hamid Ansari,
United Progressive Alliance (U.P.A.) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi,
Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani and Minister of State for
External Affairs E. Ahamed during his four day trip, briefing
them on the developments in the Middle East peace talks and to
discuss how to further strengthen contacts between India and
the Palestinians.

The P.A. President will also lay the foundation stone of
the Palestinian embassy in New Delhi which is being funded by
the Indian government making it the first non-Arab country to
do so.

On the domestic front, Abbas seems to have softened up
his approach against Islamic faction Hamas, which vanquished
P.A. forces in pitched fighting in Gaza last June taking
complete control of the coastal Strip, favouring
reconciliatory moves brokered by Arab nations 'in the interest
of unity of Palestinians and their land'.

"In a few days the egyptians will be meeting with Hamas'
leadership and they will present to all the Palestinian
factions their vision to come out of the current crisis in
favour of re-uniting the Palestinian arena", he said.