Foreign Secretary Shringla said the UN and the Arab world must make concerted efforts to support the reactivation of the Middle East Peace process in line with the two-State solution
New Delhi: The countries from the Arab world are host to more than nine million Indians, and New Delhi's wide-ranging partnership with these countries encompasses every aspect of human endeavour–from agriculture, trade, commerce and education to clean energy, counter-terrorism and new technologies.
Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla stated this in his speech at the UNSC briefing on "Cooperation between the UN and Regional and Sub-regional Organisations-League of Arab States". He said cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States is critical in the Middle East peace process.
Both organisations must make concerted efforts to support the reactivation of the Middle East Peace process in line with the two-State solution, he said.
"India welcomes the agreements for normalisation of relations between countries in the region, which we believe will contribute to
greater peace and stability in the region," he said.
The Foreign Secretary said India and the Arab world share a civilisational relationship, underpinned by India's strong people-to-people relations and commercial and cultural ties.
"Trade between India and the Arab region through the Indian Ocean had flourished for several centuries even before the advent of modern commerce. The Indian rupee was legal tender in parts of the Arab world not very long ago," he said.
The League of Arab States has contributed positively to security and stability in the region. Its Member States are significant troop and police contributors to UN peacekeeping forces.
The Arab States are among the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to countries facing armed conflict in the region. The League has played an important role in the areas of mediation, conflict prevention and resolution in the region, he said.
"Today's meeting provides us with a valuable opportunity to take a closer look at the cooperation between the United Nations and the
League of Arab States," he added.
He said: "We underline that the League of Arab States can further contribute in our joint endeavour for peace, for the sake of the
people of the region, in general and women and minorities, in particular."
