Concerned India calls for peace in West Asia

India's special envoy to West Asia Chinmaya R Gharekhan has held talks with the Syrian leadership and conveyed New Delhi's commitment to peace in the region in view of its concerns for energy security and the large expatriate Indian population.

"Discussions covered bilateral relations, the regional situation and the prospect for a revival of peace talks leading to a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," he said, according to a statement sent to PTI in Jerusalem.

During the talks, Garekhan sought to get a first-hand assessment of Syria's perception of the problems in the region in the aftermath of the war in Lebanon. He underlined India's deep stake in peace and security in the region which has a large Indian expatriate population, fulfills a major chunk of its energy requirements and has strong historical and civilisational ties.

During his two-day stay visit to Syria, Gharekhan met Vice President Farukh al-Shaara, foreign minister Walid Mouallem, Vice foreign minister Faisal Miqdad and deputy foreign minister Ahmed Amous.

Earlier, the special envoy was in Jordan and Lebanon where he met its senior leadership and expressed India's support and solidarity

to the people in their hour of crisis. Garekhan met Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Foreign Minister Fauzi Salloukh to voice solidarity with the country working to recover from devastation of the war.

The Lebanese leadership expressed its appreciation of India's political and material support in the hour of need.

The Indian special envoy had met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib in Amman last week.

Deeply appreciating India's goodwill gesture of sending medical assistance to the Palestinian people, Abbas said, "It is typical to India. Whenever we are in difficulty it is always there for us."

India has sent relief assistance to both Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority.

Gharekhan's 10-day visit to the region in the wake of the war in Lebanon is meant to 'show solidarity with the Lebanese and Palestinian masses in their hour of crisis and also to form first hand impression and assessment of the situation.'

The special envoy expressed disapproval to Israel's arrest of many elected Palestinian representatives and ministers saying it undermined a democratically elected government.