Historic visit: We hope Palestine soon becomes a free country, says Modi
RAMALLAH(WESTBANK): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India’s support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a “just and desired peace” with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.
Modi reassured his country’s support for the Palestinian cause while Abbas said that Palestinians relied on India’s role as an international force to bring peace in this region.
“I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian people’s interests,” Modi said in a joint address to the media along with Abbas following a bilateral meeting.
“India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner,” he stated.
President Abbas accorded a red carpet welcome to Modi, the first Indian PM to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata’a, in Ramallah — the Palestinian seat of government.
At the joint press statement, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine. Abbas said he had “fruitfull and constructive” talks with PM Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.
He said Palestine is ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two- state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine.
Abbas said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker negotiations with Israel.