NEW YORK, Tuesday, January 26, 2021 (WAFA) – India Tuesday evening reiterated support for President Mahmoud Abbas’ call for convening a Mideast peace conference.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti renewed his country’s support for “President Mahmoud Abbas’ call to hold an international peace conference with the participation of all relevant parties to achieve the vision of a sovereign and independent Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Israel.”

Tirumurti made his comments during the Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York.

He lauded the peaceful efforts to “two-state solution, through direct negotiations between the two parties” and also reiterated his country’s stance for a “just and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

He welcomed the announcement of general elections in Palestine.

“India welcomes the announcement of convening legislative, presidential and national council elections later this year in Palestine, and urges all parties to take necessary further steps to ensure that these elections are held fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the Palestinian people,” he said.

He praised Egypt’s mediation to help end the intra-Palestinian division, thus “bringing ]the Palestinian parties[ to end the internal divide.”

The Indian diplomat emphasized his country’s proposal to supply COVID-19 vaccines to the Middle East to help the countries rein in the pandemic spread.

K.F.