India's role in Middle East needed

NEW DELHI: Nursing a feeling that India is ignoring the Arab world, Syria wants it to play a role to help resolve the Middle East crisis, particularly by using its good offices with the US.

Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem contended that the Middle East situation has a bearing on India and it is in New Delhi's interest to see that Arab-Israel conflict is resolved politically.

"India deserves to play a role in the international arena, particularly the Middle East. India can do a lot in this field," he told a group of journalists on Tuesday night.

Asked to elaborate, he said India needs to "invest its relations with US to convince the (American) administration that peace and stability in Middle East serves interests of the region, including India."

Al-Moualem, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and held talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his three-day visit, said India should take a lead in NAM to support the Arab peace initiative.

India should also continue to support Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian areas that will help establish peace in the region, the Syrian minister said.

Suggesting that India had been ignoring the Arab world in the recent years, he said it was time for return and New Delhi was keen to do so.