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India
backs Iran's peaceful nuclear programme
New Delhi, May 13, 2008
India has backed Iran's "peaceful" nuclear programme and
said New Delhi would continue its "significant" engagement
with Tehran since the oil-rich nation is an important-role
player in the Middle East.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a
three-day visit to UAE, said India fully supports Iran's
attempt to develop "its knowledge-base pertaining to the
harnessing of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."
"However, it has to be, in accordance with its own
international commitments and obligations, satisfy the
international community that its programme is indeed
peaceful," Mukherjee said, speaking on "India's Foreign Policy
and India-Gulf relations - Meeting and Challenges of the 21st
century" in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
He said India believed that the most effective platform to
address the nuclear issue is the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA).
Mukherjee's comments came on the day when Iran and the UN
nuclear watchdog held a new round of talks on Tehran's
disputed atomic programme.
"And we strongly support the need for continued dialogue
between the IAEA and Iran without the accompanying cacophony
of recrimination and threats of violence," he said.
"Iran plays an important role in Afghanistan. The
international effort underway there would also benefit from
greater engagement with Iran," he added.
Extending India's strong support for the Palestine issue, he
said it is a matter of abiding concern.
"Even as Israel celebrates the 60th anniversary of its
statehood, the rights of the Palestinian people remain to be
achieved. This situation cannot be allowed to continue, not
only does it cause deep harm to the people of Israel and
Palestine, it also has a negative resonance across the
region," he said.
Mukherjee said India continues to extend its full support to
the Palestinian people in realising their aspirations for a
"sovereign, independent, viable and united state" living side
by side at peace with the state of Israel.
"I believe that the reasonable and pragmatic 'Arab Peace Plan
which' incorporates the collective wisdom of the Arab
leadership, provides valid basis to address the issue of
Palestine, balancing Israel's need for security with the just
aspirations of the Palestinian people for statehood,"
Mukherjee said.
On Iraq, the Minister said the situation in that country was
also a cause of concern for India.
"We are pained by the continuous violence and instability
afflicting Iraq," he said.
"We wish to see the Iraqi people freely determine their
political future and exercise control over their natural
resources. We believe that United Nations (UN) has a crucial
role to play in the process of political and economic
reconstruction of Iraq."
Mukherjee urged the international community, especially
neighbours and the P-5 countries, to help in finding a
political solution to the ongoing violence and sectarian
strife in Iraq.
"The US-Iran-Iraq talks are also important in this context and
must seriously address these problems. A political process
that brings together the different factions in the country and
upholds the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this
nation is of utmost urgency," the External Affairs Minister
said.
India has conveyed its willingness to continue its assistance
to the reconstruction of Iraq in all fields, "both bilaterally
and through multilateral efforts", Mukherjee said.
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