Ramallah, Feb 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India’s support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a “just and desired peace” with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.
President Abbas accorded a red carpet welcome to Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata’a, in Ramallah – the Palestinian seat of government.
They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur. Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 mi lion, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.
At a joint press statement with Modi, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine. Abbas said he had “fruitfull and constructive” talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region. He said Palestine is ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two- state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine.
Abbas said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker negotiations with Israel, which is India’s strategic partner and among its top arms suppliers. “We rely on India’s role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region,” President Abbas said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday arrived in in Abudhabi on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with top leadership of the Gulf nation and witness signing of nearly a dozen agreements to bolster political and economic ties. Modi, who visited Palestine earlier in the day, is scheduled to hold talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan later on Saturday evening, following which several agreements will be signed.
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