India should use its clout, says Palestinian envoy

Ahead of President Abbas' visit, PNA has sought India's help to push peace process.

Ahead of the two-day visit of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas to India starting from Thursday, Palestinian Ambassador to India, Osama Musa, sought India's "increasing global influence" to push peace in the West Asia.

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"India should use its increasing global clout to exert pressure on the international community to pressurise Israel to end the occupation of Palestine," Osama Musa, Ambassador of Palestine National Authority to India, told the agency in an interview.

Peace in the West Asia and cementing trade and cultural relations between India and Palestine will be the focus of the official visit of Abbas, who was named chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) after Yasser Arafat's death in November last year.

This is the first visit by a Palestinian leader after the death of Arafat, the charismatic leader who had a personal chemistry with India's top leadership dating back to the days of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

"The Palestinian President will brief India about the current situation in Palestine. We are trying to find a way to end the Israeli occupation - the only way to create peace in the West Asia," said Musa, underlining the thrust of Abbas' India visit. Abbas is on a whirlwind tour of Asia, including China and Pakistan, to drum up support for the Palestinian cause.

Abbas will meet President APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Cabinet ministers before leaving India on Friday, the External Affairs ministry said.

Also known as Abu Mazen, the 69-year-old leader, whom Washington and Tel Aviv feel is a man they can do business with, was elected President of the Palestinian Authority in January this year.

"India has been a good friend and always supported the cause of an independent Palestinian state. Most of the world also supports us, but words and speeches are not enough. It's time for action," said Musa.

Alluding to India's growing relationship with Israel, which was seen with some anxiety by some Arab nations, he said: "We are not against India's relationship with Israel. On the contrary, India can use its relation with Israel to persuade Israel to abide by the UN resolutions on the Palestine."

The importance India attaches to Palestine and peace in the West Asia was clear from the appointment of Chinmaya R Gharekhan, a retired diplomat with excellent connections in the Arab world, as the Prime Minister's special envoy to West Asia.

"We have a huge stake in West Asia. Peace is the overriding necessity in the region and it will certainly make our job easier to play a more effective role in the region," Gharekhan said.

The visit will focus on growing bilateral trade and cultural ties. "We appreciate India's political and economic contribution to Palestine."

Trade between India and Palestine is booming - it was estimated at $20 million in 2001.