Araby meets Indian external affairs minister

Arab League Secretary General Nabil el Araby met Monday with visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss the latest developments in the region.

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Araby said India’s ties with all Arab countries are distinguished as the country is the world’s biggest supporter of the fair Palestinian cause.

Araby said he asked the Indian minister on reports that the Indian prime minister plans to visit Israel and she confirmed that he will be visiting Palestine as well.

The meeting took up the developments in the Palestinian cause and the situation in Syria, Libya and Yemen, said director of Asia and Australia department at the Arab League Khaled al Habbas.

The two sides also agreed to hold a ministerial meeting in Bahrain in December, he said.

The Indian external affairs minister reiterated that her country will continue to support the Palestinian cause regardless of the development of its ties with Israel, Habbas added.

On the Syrian crisis, Araby told the top Indian diplomat that the focus should be finding a political solution that ensures the integrity of the Syrian territories.

The talks also took up the developments in Libya as Araby reiterated that the Arab League supports efforts by United Nations envoy Bernardino Leon to back dialogue between Libyan sides.

The meeting also addressed a joint meeting of the Arab foreign and defense ministers expected on Thursday in Cairo to ratify a protocol on the joint Arab force, he added