India's support to Palestine steadfast

India has an unflinching commitment to sustaining and expanding relations with the Arab world. Our ties are ancient and civilisational. West Asia is a vital part of India's extended neighbourhood and millions of Indians live and work here. We commend Jordan's active and untiring efforts for peace in the region.India has always appreciated the vision of His Majesty, the Late King Hussein (May his soul rest in peace) and His Majesty, King Abdullah, in pursuing, with all concerned, at both the regional and the global levels, a just solution to the Palestine-Israel issues.Like Jordan,India's traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains steadfast and unwavering while we pursue strong relations with Israel. Our bilateral relations with Israel are independent of our relations with Palestine. India supports a negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognised borders. We desire to see Palestine living side by side at peace with Israel as endorsed in the Quartet Roadmap and relevant UNSC resolutions. India has played a proactive role in garnering support for this cause in all multilateral fora. We have called upon both sides to exercise restraint and work towards a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue. We have been happy to provide budgetary, economic and developmental assistance to Palestine. I would like to recall the words of Mahatma Gandhi, as also quoted by Her Majesty, Queen Noor in her recent book, Leap of Faith and I quote, "Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English and France to the French." India stands ready to work with all like-minded nations for the amicable resolution of this protracted conflict.

India also remains deeply concerned at the ongoing violence in Syria. We are saddened by the tragic loss of lives and the long suffering of millions of displaced citizens - including innocent women and children. We laud Jordan's humanitarian assistance and sheltering of 1.4 million refugees - despite its own severe domestic constraints; and believe that this human tragedy should never have been allowed to happen in the first place. India has been consistently calling for all sides in the Syrian conflict to abjure violence so that conditions can be created for an inclusive political dialogue. We see this as the only path to a comprehensive, permanent, political solution as there can be no military solution to this conflict. We have been stating that such a dialogue must take into account the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria. India believes that Syria has a key and fundamental part to play in achieving peace and stability in West Asia. Prolonged conflict in Syria has already begun to have a severe impact on the region and beyond.

The fragile security situation in Iraq is, no less, a matter of grave concern. The rise of intolerance and sectarian violence calls for a comprehensive approach for achieving a political solution in Iraq. On our part, India is committed to non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. However, we are directly affected by terror and strife in this region. We sincerely desire stability and prosperity for the friendly people of Iraq with whom also we have close ties that are ancient and civilisational.

I am reminded of the prophetic words of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of our Nation, which I would like to share with you as they have proven to be more relevant now than ever before: I quote, "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought in the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?"

The high academic and cultural tradition of the Arab world is not only well known to us in India, but it is inseparably linked to our own. We know that Arab masters translated and preserved teachings from Greece, India and Persia, inspiring a mass movement in the field of education during the 12th century. This resurgence produced the great Arab mathematicians, scientists and scholars. Regular cross pollination of theories and concepts inspired thought, exploration and discoveries that changed the world. We, in India, cherished these invaluable exchanges and collaborations that enriched our traditions of learning, culture, religion, language and people-to-people contacts. The weakening of these links over the decades due to a variety of reasons can certainly be remedied. A re-connect of Arab and Asian ideas and culture will undoubtedly enrich humanity once again. There is wide popular support in both our countries for enhancing our relations. My visit reflects India's deep interest in strengthening our partnership with Jordan in every field.

We admire Jordan's endeavour, guided by the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II, to modernise its educational infrastructure and develop in its youth a scientific temper while preserving all the richness of Jordan's cultural heritage. It is a vindication of your investment in these values that you have succeeded in building a modern, inclusive and pluralistic nation while the rest of the region remains entrapped in continuous cycles of conflict and instability. Your success is, therefore, as important for the region as it is for the world. India has always recognised the importance of education in social empowerment and a nation's progress. This assumes greater salience and urgency at this time - when the world is tackling the challenges of unemployment and radicalisation. Our strongest focus should remain on human resource development. We are happy to have partnered Jordan in training its students and professionals in India. I am told that the Jordanian alumni of various Indian universities are now 2,500 strong. Our educational systems must upgrade and fine-tune themselves to better equip our youth for employment. The knowledge economy is an area where we can have promising collaborations. Friends, as visitor of 114 institutions of higher education in India, I am deeply committed to fostering educational exchanges and cross pollination of ideas. Accompanying my official delegation are the vice-chancellors of prominent Indian universities and educational institutions in India. I am happy to see that Delhi University and the University of Jordan have signed an MoU for cooperation today. Several other Indian universities and premier institutions have also entered into understandings with their Jordanian counterparts. I am told that the University of Petra and Talal Abu Ghazaleh University are already in successful partnerships. Similar tie-ups for providing online education, could, if encouraged, afford vast opportunities for fruitful collaborations.

Edited excerpts from President Pranab Mukherjee's speech at the University of Jordan, Amman, 11 October 2015