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External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh today made it clear that India8217;s rapidly progressing relationship with Israel was important b...

External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh today made it clear that India8217;s rapidly progressing relationship with Israel was important but it had in no manner diluted New Delhi8217;s 8216;8216;principled support8217;8217; to the Palestinian cause.

Speaking at the Indian Association for Central and West Asian Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia today, he said: 8216;8216;Our relations with Israel have developed on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation and are important. This, however, in no way dilutes our principled support for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.8217;8217;

India, he added, was clear that it will continue to participate in efforts of the international community to 8216;8216;redress the historical injustices8217;8217; done to the people of Palestine. 8216;8216;We take special care to ensure that our relations with Israel do not have a negative impact on relations with Arab countries.8217;8217;

Singh pointed out that India established diplomatic relations with Israel after several countries of the Non-Aligned Movement had done so with the hope that relations between Israel and Palestine will be normalised after the 1991 Madrid Conference. 8216;8216;Unfortunately, this normalisation did not take place as a result of the assassination of Israeli PM Yitzak Rabin and other negative developments.8217;8217;

He expressed concern over the continuing violence in West Asia while cautioning Israel that confining Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would only encourage extremists. 8216;8216;We believe that the conflict is essentially political in nature and cannot be resolved by force. A just, comprehensive and durable peace in the region can only be achieved through negotiations on the basis of relevant UN Security Council resolutions as well as the 8216;land for peace8217; principle,8217;8217; he said. On Iraq, Singh said the UN has a crucial role to play in the country. 8216;8216;We see UN endorsement of the interim government in Iraq as the first step towards the transparent transfer of full sovereignty to the people of Iraq.8217;8217; He made it clear that India will not send troops to Iraq. 8216;8216;The question does not arise in the light of the unanimous resolution passed by two Houses of Parliament on April 8, 2003.8217;8217;

Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed also condemned the recent escalation violence in Gaza. 8216;8216;We urge an immediate end to the military operations and a return to the path of negotiations. Serious, sincere and urgent efforts must be made to re-start the peace process in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the roadmap8230;we condemn the recent escalation ofviolence in northern Gaza and the disproportionate and large-scale use of force by the Israeli forces.8217;8217;