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2 months ago
Eye on reconstruction of Gaza, India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held tomorrow
Summary
As India prepares to host the India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting after a gap of 10 years on Saturday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin urged increased Indian participation in and contributions to Gaza reconstruction efforts and continued support to UNRWA to address refugee needs.
Shahin is one of the representatives of the 20 Arab countries which are participating in the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Delhi on Saturday. The meeting, which will be co-chaired by India and the UAE, will witness the participation of foreign ministers of other Arab League member states and Arab League Secretary-General.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, “The Foreign Ministers’ meeting is happening after a gap of 10 years, the first meeting being held in 2016 in Bahrain. At the first FMM, the ministers identified five priority verticals of cooperation: economy, energy, education, media and culture and proposed a set of activities across these verticals. The 2nd India-Arab FMM is expected to build on our existing cooperation, expanding and deepening this partnership.”
Addressing reporters on Thursday at the Palestinian Embassy in Delhi, Palestine Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said, “India has stood with us in our struggle against occupation. And over the last few years, India has stood firmly with the Palestinian people on the two-state solution, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and our resolutions in the Human Rights Council at the UN.”
“And we truly understand that India is a great country,,, and it’s a friend of Palestine and Israel today. And we see that, and we would like that India has a balanced approach. And we truly believe that India can play a major role as a mediator between Israel and Palestine, and work towards the end of the conflict, the end of occupation.”
“And in Palestine, the stance of India is very clear to us,” she said, adding that “India is for international law. Today we have resolutions on the two-states, and we have the New York Declaration that clearly stipulates what needs to be done.”
She also expressed appreciation for the ongoing support of India in Palestine, saying, “We have had numerous, numerous programs and projects that have been supported by India… India has supported the education sector, with several schools all through the West Bank, and some schools and higher education centers in Gaza unfortunately destroyed in the last two years. The ones in West Bank are still operating, accommodating and hosting many Palestinians.”
According to sources, the Gaza peace plan is going to figure in the discussions at the India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, apart from peace and stability in the region.
Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism ‘2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury’s special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban’s capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
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Two families were united in grief as they said their final goodbyes to Captain Sumit Kapur and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak, who were among the five people killed in a plane crash in Maharashtra. Kapur was a highly experienced pilot while Pathak was just months away from becoming a captain. Both were remembered fondly by friends and colleagues.
Shahin is one of the representatives of the 20 Arab countries which are participating in the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Delhi on Saturday. The meeting, which will be co-chaired by India and the UAE, will witness the participation of foreign ministers of other Arab League member states and Arab League Secretary-General.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, “The Foreign Ministers’ meeting is happening after a gap of 10 years, the first meeting being held in 2016 in Bahrain. At the first FMM, the ministers identified five priority verticals of cooperation: economy, energy, education, media and culture and proposed a set of activities across these verticals. The 2nd India-Arab FMM is expected to build on our existing cooperation, expanding and deepening this partnership.”
Addressing reporters on Thursday at the Palestinian Embassy in Delhi, Palestine Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said, “India has stood with us in our struggle against occupation. And over the last few years, India has stood firmly with the Palestinian people on the two-state solution, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and our resolutions in the Human Rights Council at the UN.”
“And we truly understand that India is a great country,,, and it’s a friend of Palestine and Israel today. And we see that, and we would like that India has a balanced approach. And we truly believe that India can play a major role as a mediator between Israel and Palestine, and work towards the end of the conflict, the end of occupation.”
“And in Palestine, the stance of India is very clear to us,” she said, adding that “India is for international law. Today we have resolutions on the two-states, and we have the New York Declaration that clearly stipulates what needs to be done.”
She also expressed appreciation for the ongoing support of India in Palestine, saying, “We have had numerous, numerous programs and projects that have been supported by India… India has supported the education sector, with several schools all through the West Bank, and some schools and higher education centers in Gaza unfortunately destroyed in the last two years. The ones in West Bank are still operating, accommodating and hosting many Palestinians.”
According to sources, the Gaza peace plan is going to figure in the discussions at the India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, apart from peace and stability in the region.
Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism ‘2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury’s special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban’s capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Two families were united in grief as they said their final goodbyes to Captain Sumit Kapur and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak, who were among the five people killed in a plane crash in Maharashtra. Kapur was a highly experienced pilot while Pathak was just months away from becoming a captain. Both were remembered fondly by friends and colleagues.
AI Description
The India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting focuses on enhancing diplomatic ties and cooperation.