India has strong interests in Arab world: Swaraj

[Hindustani78]

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 17:47
India has strong interests in Arab world: Swaraj | Zee News


Cairo: India on Tuesday said it has "strong interests" in the Arab world and is firmly committed to its various causes, including resolution of the Palestine- Israel issue.


"Our strong traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains unwavering even as we pursue good relations with Israel. We commend the Egyptian role in bringing about a ceasefire in last year's Israel-Gaza conflict," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

"We have strong interests in the Arab world and have been strongly committed to its various causes. We have been supportive of your aspirations regarding the resolution of the Palestine-Israel issue," she said addressing a select group of strategic thinkers and policy makers here.

Swaraj said that India was concerned about the "growth of terrorism and of sectarian violence" in the region and stands committed to support efforts to fight the challenge.

She said India feels there is a need to develop a broader approach based on dialogue to shift from an atmosphere of "mistrust and violence towards one which exudes confidence in peace and development.

Noting that Arab region was important for India, she said millions of Indians work in this region and contribute to its economy.

"Our political exchanges are frequent and we are strong partners in the emerging structures both political-security as well as economic.

"But most importantly, we share historic ties of exchanges between people and ideas, of trade and commerce, of language and literature and are bound together in bonds that make us brothers," she said.

Stressing on people-to-people contact, she said: "We are pursuing the setting up of an India Chair in one of your Universities. This will be the first in the Arab world.

"We are impressed with your rich civilisation and would wish to strengthen exchanges. We wish to focus on youth, academic, media and cultural exchanges. We have always maintained that an investment in people-to-people contacts, particularly of the youth, provides a strong base for a durable partnership.

"The goodwill that exists on both sides will then propel our relations in various other sectors as well," she said.

Swaraj later visited the National Museum across the iconic Tahrir Square, scene of massive demonstrations during the January, 2011 revolution that toppled the longtime president Hosni Mubarak.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Support to Palestine unwavering while engaging with Israel: India | Zee News
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 23:31
Support to Palestine unwavering while engaging with Israel: India | Zee News

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 23:31

Cairo: India's strong traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains unwavering even while pursuing good relations with Israel, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here on Tuesday and added that the India is now more actively engaging with the Arab world.


Addressing the Egyptian Council for World Affairs, she also spoke about boosting economic and defence ties with Egypt and underlined three pillars for partnership with it.

She also said India remains concerned about the growth of terrorism and of sectarian violence in the region and stands committed to support efforts to fight this.

"We also sense a need to develop a broader approach based on dialogue to shift from an atmosphere of mistrust and violence towards one which exudes confidence in peace and development. We have noticed the positive role played by Egypt in this context on several occasions in history," she said.

Sushma Swaraj said the new developments including the Iran nuclear agreement can open up new vistas of cooperation and reduce frictions.

"India is a long-time friend of all the countries in the region and we have no major differences with any. We remain convinced that a new paradigm of peace, prosperity and stability will emerge," she said.

"We have strong interests in the Arab world and have been strongly committed to its various causes. We have been supportive of your aspirations regarding the resolution of the Palestine-Israel issue. Our strong traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains unwavering even as we pursue good relations with Israel. We commend the Egyptian role in bringing about a ceasefire in last year's Israel-Gaza conflict," she said.

Referring to the Arab region, she said: "Your region is no longer our extended neighbourhood, it is now our neighbourhood. We are now more actively engaged in your region which lies to the west of my country. You are central to my security interest as well as my requirements for energy."

"Millions of my citizens work in this region and contribute to its economy. Our political exchanges are frequent and we are strong partners in the emerging structures both political-security as well as economic. But most importantly, we share historic ties of exchanges between people and ideas, of trade and commerce, of language and literature and are bound together in bonds that make us brothers," she said.

Sushma Swaraj, who met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Arab League chief Nabil El-Araby on Monday, said India and Egypt are "both committed to take our relations to the next higher level.

"I see this new partnership based on three principal pillars. These pillars are: First, closer political interactions and security cooperation; Second, deeper economic engagement and scientific collaboration; Third, wider cultural contacts and people-to-people exchanges."

She said India and Egypt envisage even closer security cooperation and also propose to step up exchange of information and coordination to combat terrorism, both at the regional as well as global level.

"Our defence relationship, which is based on our traditional and friendly ties will be upgraded further to closer cooperation across the spectrum. At the multilateral level, we shall strengthen coordination with the League of Arab States, work closely through the India-Africa Forum Summit and further our outstanding cooperation at the UN and other multilateral bodies," she said.

IANS

Sushma in Egypt, seeks early release of six Indian seamen | Zee News

Cairo/New Delhi: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is visiting Egypt, has urged her counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry to intervene for the early release of six Indian seamen detained in the country since February 2014.

Sushma, who held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on Monday, thanked Foreign Minister Shoukry for facilitating the process for transfer of two Indian prisoners who are serving life terms in Egyptian jails, said an official statement.

Sushma, who is visiting Egypt at the invitation of Shoukry, also held talks with Nabil El-Araby, Secretary General of League of Arab States on Monday. She met with the representatives of the Indian Community in Egypt on Sunday.

President Sisi extended a warm welcome and highlighted the importance that he attaches to Egypt-India relations and his desire to take the relations to a higher level.

Sushma Swaraj conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings and congratulated him on the completion of the New Suez Canal. She outlined the preparations for deepening and expanding bilateral cooperation in all areas. She also extended her condolences on the passing away of his mother.

President Sisi mentioned that he was very impressed by the recent economic developments and scientific and technological achievements in India, which he sees as a model for all developing countries. He also hoped for closer cooperation in fighting terrorism and promoting security cooperation and defence R&D and joint production, said the statement.

Sushma held extensive bilateral talks with Shoukry, who also hosted lunch in her honour. They noted that our shared values and experiences form a strong foundation to further expand cooperation on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. They discussed ways to develop an agenda to deepen and expand cooperation to take our relations to a higher level.

Shoukry accepted Sushma's invitation to visit New Delhi to co-chair the seventh meeting of India-Egypt Joint Commission in January 2016 and also hold Foreign Office Consultations at secretary level in November 2015. Sushma renewed the invitation to him to participate in the India-Africa Forum Summit-III in October 2015 in India.

Both sides inked two agreements, including an MoU on Cooperation in the field of Tourism and an MoU between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India and the National Research Center (NRC) of Egypt for Scientific and Technical Cooperation. It was also agreed that the Agreement on Maritime Transport, the text of which had been finalised would be signed soon.

Sushma requested her counterpart's intervention for the early release of six Indian seamen, detained in Egypt since February 2014 and thanked Shoukry for facilitating the process for transfer of two Indian prisoners who are serving life terms in Egyptian jails.

Sushma and Secretary General of League of Arab States El-Araby reviewed India-Arab relations as well as regional issues.

Both sides noted that India's traditionally close links with the Arab world have been strengthened further in recent years. They welcomed the success of special events such as the India-Arab Cultural Festival, India-Arab Media Symposium and India-Arab Partnership Conference. They agreed that the First Senior Officials Meeting of the India-Arab Cooperation Forum held in New Delhi and the first India-Arab Ministerial Conference to be held in Manama later this year would give further momentum to our expanding relations, said the statement.

Sushma Swaraj is to deliver a lecture on 'India's relations with Egypt and the region' at the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, which will be attended by strategic thinkers, academics, diplomats, intelligentsia and media. She will also interact with a number of Egyptian Ministers, and policy makers.

IANS

 

[aamerjamal]

instead of west our new direction is north