Sharon146;s visit to clear six joint pacts

India and Israel will sign a joint statement during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to India from September 8-11, along with six agreements on environment protection, drugs trafficking, visa free travel for diplomats and cooperation in health, education and culture.

Official sources today said New Delhi would discuss the Middle East peace process and the US-sponsored road map with the Israeli delegation, since Palestine has always been a 8216;8216;cardinal point of India8217;s foreign policy8217;8217;. Sharon8217;s decision to skip a viewing of the Taj Mahal now means that he is arriving on the evening of September 8. A ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan begins his visit the next day, after which he goes to Rajghat. At 6.30 pm on September 9, Sharon will meet PM Vajpayee and hold delegation-level talks.

The sources believed that Sharon8217;s visit to India was part of the 8216;8216;normal intercourse between nations,8217;8217; considering that both nations had been developing a very good bilateral relationship.

In turn, he said, Sharon would probably get more out of this trip than India would, considering that India was a large country of a billion people, secular outlook as well as one of the few countries worldwide which welcomed Jews.