United Nation: Expressing hope that the process to grant Palestinian request for statehood at the UN would be concluded expeditiously, India on Tuesday said Palestine`s membership to the world body should not be made "conditional" upon a peace agreement.

India reiterated its support to the Palestinian statehood request saying the call of the international community for democracy and respect of fundamental rights will "sound hollow if the present impasse continues and Palestinians are denied their aspirations." "We cannot make Palestine`s membership to the United Nations conditional upon a peace agreement for that will be legally untenable, even while we support resumption of direct talks to resolve the outstanding issues," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said at a Security Council debate on the situation in the Middle East and Palestine.

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He said India, which was the first non-Arab country to recognize the State of Palestine in 1988, hopes that the Palestinian application process will be "concluded expeditiously" given that Palestine fulfills all criteria mentioned in UN Charter for membership.

Ahamed said the issue of Palestine took a "decisive turn" in the history of the Middle East conflict after President Mahmoud Abbas filed the application with the UN Secretary General last month.

India`s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said in his address to the General Assembly on September 24 that India looked forward to welcoming Palestine as an equal member of the United Nations. India recognizes the democratic aspirations of all people, including in the Middle East, Ahamed said.

India has continued its development support to the Palestinian Authority, enhancing from the year 2009-10 its annual contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to a million dollars.

During the last two years, India has also contributed USD 10 million annually as untied budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority.

Noting that while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the most serious one in the region, Ahamed said the international community still needs to keep in mind that resolution of this conflict by itself will not achieve comprehensive and durable peace in the region. "Other issues relating to Arab lands that remain under occupation are equally important. Progress in the Lebanese and Syrian tracks of the Middle East peace process is, therefore, necessary for comprehensive and lasting peace in the region," he said.

He underscored the importance of addressing grievances of the people in the Middle East through dialogue and negotiations rather than resorting to arms.

"No action should be taken from outside that exacerbates problems and gives space for the rise of extremism," he said, adding that the international community should be ready to assist the countries in the region while respecting their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

"Observance of the rule of law is as important in international affairs as it is within countries. Guided by these principles, India stands ready to play its role in our collective endeavours to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," he said.
PTI