Address by Indian Minister of State for External Affairs H.E. E. Ahamed at the 20th Summit of the League of Arab States, Damascus

Your Excellency, President Bashar Al Assad
Your Majesties, Highness and Excellencies,
Your Excellency Dr. Amre Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab
League,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure and honour to attend the 20th Summit of the League of Arab States in Damascus. On this occasion, I convey warm greetings from the people and leadership of India to the member states of the Arab League and the brotherly Arab people. I would like to express gratitude to H.E. Dr. Amre Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League and to the Syrian Arab Republic and the members of the League of Arab States for inviting India to this august Conference. I warmly recall my leading the Indian delegation to the 19th Summit in Riyadh. We value this invitation as we have warm and cordial relations with all member states of the Arab League and the Arab League itself. I wish to assure the distinguished congregation that my government is committed to strengthen and diversify cooperation with Arab countries.

2. Relations between India and the Arab world are unique, resting on a civilization and historical foundation, characterized by people to people contacts and socio-economic exchanges for thousands of years. These age-old interactions have enriched our language and literature, culture and customs and art and architecture. India and the Arab world have been cradles of great civilizations of mankind, sharing a quest for knowledge, scholarship and scientific spirit that have left their indelible imprint on human accomplishments over the centuries. In this voyage, India and the Arab world have recognized the importance of the spirit of accommodation among peoples, in their quest for prosperity and peace. The road to progress is full of challenges that test the human spirit.

3. I take this opportunity to reiterate India’s consistent and unwavering support for the just cause of the Palestinian people, whose struggle for six decades has indeed been a very long one. India’s solidarity with the Palestinian people was given voice during our own freedom struggle. In the early years of independent India, this policy was consolidated under the leadership of our first Prime Minister jawahar Nehru. India’s empathy with the Palestinian cause and its friendship with the people of Palestine is an integral part of its time-tested foreign policy.

4. India believes that a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region can be achieved through negotiations and dialogue so that a sovereign, independent, viable State of Palestine living side by side within secured borders and in harmony with all its neighbors through a negotiated solution to the conflict and in keeping with relevant UN resolutions. India believes that there is no military solution to the problems in West Asia. We have repeatedly called for all parties in West Asia to fully cooperate with the international community in its efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace.

5. At the International Donors’ Conference for Palestine in Paris on 17th December last year, India pledged US$ 5 million for development projects for further strengthening of Palestinian institutions and has committed to provide training to 400 Palestinian officials under the ITEC programme over the next two years. We reaffirm our commitment at the Donors’ Conference to assist in the human capacity building and infrastructure development of Palestine. Till date, India has extended assistance to the tune of US$ 27 million to Palestine, in the form of humanitarian aid and for development of its institutions.

6. The entire world is a witness to the manner in which the border restrictions, economic sanctions and a restrictive regime have brought the Palestinian economy to the verge of a collapse. We have viewed with alarm the continuous vicious circle of attacks, reprisal and counter-attacks, the worsening humanitarian and security situation in Gaza, as well as the continued violence inflicted on innocent citizens.

7. Over the decades, a multi-faceted framework of cooperation has emerged between India and the Arab countries encompassing political, economic, cultural and security areas based on shared interests and concerns for peace and stability in the region and for prosperity of its people. The Arab world has always figured very high in India’s foreign policy priorities. In modern times, traditional bonds have further strengthened and diversified, as our ties have steadily developed. In due course, the Arab world has become our primary source of energy, a growing market for our goods, an important destination for our investment, and a region that provides livelihood to millions of Indians working in the region. India considers the Arab world, a part of its strategic neighbourhood. Arab world is the only region for which the Government of India has appointed a Special Envoy.

8. India has always shown its willingness to share with Arab brethren its experience and expertise in institution and capacity building, governance, science and technology including Information Technology and biotechnology, healthcare and higher education. Indians have shared the growing prosperity of the Arab countries. India has made significant advances in educational, economic and technological fronts. In this context, we look forward to increasing investment from the Arab world in India’s infrastructure development which offers a vast array of opportunities. We want to share the benefits of the success achieved so far with all our Arab friends.

9. India desires to strengthen cooperation to opportunities where we can share our capacities in human resource development including training of our Arab friends across the entire spectrum of potentialities that exists. We wish to work together to enable and ensure a framework for future generations to consolidate our ties in emerging sectors of the economy. The Arab world has the capital, while India has the opportunities, especially for the development of infrastructure. The more the long-term linkages that India and the Arab world develop, the greater our mutual stakes and interests in each other’s success and prosperity.

10. In conclusion, I would like to convey our gratitude to the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic for the gracious hospitality extended to the members of my delegation. On behalf of the people of India and their leadership, I convey our good wishes for the success of the Summit.