Konya (Turkey): India fully supports the Palestinian people`s struggle for a sovereign and independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, existing at peace with Israel, Vice President Hamid Ansari said here on Thursday.
Ansari, who is on a six-day visit to Turkey to boost bilateral ties and international cooperation between the two countries said that India abhors any attempt aimed at disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of states and stands steadfast to the basic principle of full sovereignty and independence of peoples, and their states. Dwelling on the international political situation in and around the region, Ansari spoke at length on the Palestine issue amid clappings from Turkish students and teachers in Mevlana University at Konya, where he was conferred the honorary doctorate degree as well as honorary membership of Konya.
"A primary cause of tension, instability and violence in the region is the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
India fully supports the Palestinian people`s struggle for a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognizable borders side by side and at peace with Israel," Ansari said.
He noted that the conflict in Palestine is political and cannot be resolved by force but at the same time maintained that "protracted negotiations over decades" have not achieved the national goals of the Palestinian people and have "fuelled disappointment and anger".
He also stressed that India was the first non-Arab country to recognize the Palestinian State in 1988 and will support its aspirations in the United Nations. PTI