United Nations: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met on Thursday with the Foreign Ministers of two key countries from a region embroiled in crisis, Jordan and Egypt, to review developments in West Asia.
After meeting with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, EAM Jaishankar on social media platform X said, “Our discussion on West Asia/Middle East was truly valuable.”
Jordan, on the edge of the Gulf region, has come under attack from Iran during the Gulf conflict, and is a key player in the region.
“A useful review of regional developments”, was how EAM Jaishankar summed up on X about his meeting with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
India has historically had close relations with the country that is a major force in West Asia.
Meanwhile, in another West Asia development, Sibi George, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West), represented India at the High-level Ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
At the meeting, “India reaffirmed its clear and consistent support for the Two-State solution,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote in an X post.
“India’s approach combines political commitment with practical support,” he said.
The meeting to press for a Two-State solution that has Palestine and Israel existing side by side in peace as independent sovereign nations was chaired by Saudi Arabia.
The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly endorsed the concept of a two-State solution.
At his meeting with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, EAM Jaishankar said he told him “India is strongly committed to the success of CHOGM” (the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) that the Caribbean country is hosting in November.
“Our development partnership, capacity building, and climate change cooperation are going forward,” he added.
India has provided $1 million in aid to Antigua through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, besides direct aid for programmes like rebuilding a hospital devastated by a hurricane.
EAM Jaishankar also met with the UN Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva, who leads the Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the world organisation’s arm for relief and development efforts.
Taking to his official X account, EAM Jaishankar said, “Appreciated the contribution of UNOPS to facilitate logistics in delicate and challenging situations.”
On Wednesday, EAM Jaishankar met with Foreign Ministers Sakiasi Ditoka of Fiji, and Justin Tkatchenko of Papua New Guinea, two Pacific Ocean region countries.
(IANS)
