India supports comprehensive peace in West Asia

WASHINGTON: Supporting "comprehensive peace and stability" in West Asia, India has hoped that a US-hosted Middle East summit will help resolve the parameters of a future course of action allowing establishment of a sovereign State of Palestine living side by side at peace with Israel.

An Indian delegation led by Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal is in the US for the peace summit in Annapolis, Maryland. The team includes the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to West Asia, Chinmoy Gharekhan.

Soon after his arrival, Sibal discussed bilateral issues and developments in West Asia with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, who gave his assessment on the Israeli-Palestinian talks, the role of the League and related issues.

Sibal also had a meeting with Foreign Ministers of Brazil and South Africa at a working lunch. The three Ministers were of the view that the Annapolis meet was a positive development that needs to be supported by the international community, to assist the peace dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

"India believes that in the course of negotiations at Annapolis the international community will emphasise the necessity of resolving the Palestine-Israeli conflict through dialogue, consensus and mutual understanding and that resort to violence is an unacceptable means to such resolution," the Indian Embassy said in a press statement here.

"Hopefully the parameters of the future course of action will be resolved at Annapolis allowing establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living side by side, at peace with the State of Israel within secure and recognised borders," it said.