Hypothetically (remotely) the work of the third session of the Arab-Indian Cooperation Forum started at the level of senior officials, headed jointly by Egypt on the Arab side, the current president of the Arab League Council, represented by Ambassador Muhammad Abu al-Khair, Egypt's permanent representative to the League of Arab States and the Indian side, who represented him Ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharya, Assistant Minister of External Affairs, Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was devoted to exchanging views on regional and international issues of common interest, and ways to enhance the march of Arab-Indian cooperation.
Ambassador Khaled Al-Habbas, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Head of the International Political Affairs Sector - in his speech at the opening session via video conference technology - said that holding the meeting in light of these difficult circumstances is an indication of the importance that the Arab and Indian sides attach to the course of cooperation between them. And the importance of strengthening and developing them to serve the common interests.
He pointed out that the Arab-Indian cooperation derives its foundations and roots from the historical and civilizational ties between the Arab world and the Republic of India, the trade and cultural relations that have contributed to strengthening the ties between the two sides, and the historical communication and civilizational intermingling between India and the Arab region.
Al-Habbas stressed the keenness of the member states of the League of Arab States to strengthen their relations with the Republic of India in various political, economic, social and cultural fields by activating the mechanisms of the Arab-Indian Cooperation Forum, which was established in December 2008 and has become an important institutional framework to push Arab-Indian relations to broader horizons. And expanding its fields in line with international changes.
He added that Arab-Indian cooperation has been a fundamental pillar of international cooperation South / South since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Arab countries in the middle of the last century, and India is an important international partner for Arab countries, and they have a long history of friendly relations and positions of solidarity and mutual support, based on the principles of The Charter of the United Nations, the League of Arab States and the Non-Aligned Movement, including respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states, and non-interference in their internal affairs, in addition to the broad prospects for trade and economic relations between the two sides, as the volume of trade exchange between the Arab world and the Republic of India reached about 162 billion Dollars, 2019.
Al-Habas stressed - in this context - to the necessity of holding all postponed activities of the forum, including the third session of the Arab-Indian Culture Festival, the Arab-Indian Cooperation in the field of energy, the first session of the Conference of Arab and Indian University Presidents, and the second session of the Arab-Indian Cooperation Symposium in the field of Media, and the sixth session of the Arab-Indian Partnership Conference.
The Assistant Secretary-General congratulated India on the non-permanent membership of the Security Council for the period 2021-2022, expressing the aspiration of the Arab side for an effective role for India on issues of common interest.
He said: The international community is witnessing - at the present time - dangerous junctures due to the accelerating international circumstances and events, and there are also a set of interlocking challenges and various crises that continue to threaten regional stability, as the Palestinian issue remains the first central issue for Arab countries, despite all The challenges and crises that the world is witnessing in general and the countries of the Arab region in particular; The Arab position revolves around the need to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, and the rejection of any unilateral measures that violate international legitimacy resolutions and violate the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
He continued: We look forward in this regard to the continuation of the Republic of India in its traditional role in support of Palestinian rights, including supporting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
And he added: On the other hand, it must be pointed out that a number of Arab countries are witnessing crises, whether in Syria, Libya, or Yemen, which led to the deterioration of the situation inside them, especially the humanitarian, economic and security conditions, and the impact extended to include other countries, and therefore A political solution in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the agreed upon references in this regard, which guarantees the preservation of the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the Arab countries, is the only way out of these crises.
He pointed out that the external interventions significantly exacerbated the crises in the Arab region, and led to its elongation, and its inability to resolve .. He said, "We reiterate our rejection of all these interference in Arab affairs and the ambitions and plans they carry with them."
He stressed the importance of ensuring the security of waterways and straits and the protection of navigation, in accordance with the provisions of international law, and refraining from threatening maritime security, the security of sea lanes and international trade routes, as it poses a threat to international peace and security, and rejecting any threat to energy supplies and the negative impact it has on the global economy.
He expressed the Arab League's condemnation of various terrorist acts, and the refusal to link terrorism to a religion, culture or civilization, and the need to dry up the sources of terrorist financing, prevent the creation of safe havens for terrorists, and bring them to justice.
He affirmed the Arab position in support of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, including the freeing of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.
He expressed his confidence that this meeting will achieve its goals in support of Arab-Indian relations, and that it constitutes another step in the path of strategic cooperation between the two sides, in a way that enhances security, peace and stability and achieves sustainable development.
He also expressed his aspiration to hold the second session of the Arab-Indian Cooperation Forum at the ministerial level in the Republic of India at an appropriate time agreed upon by both sides, in a way that would enhance the course of this forum in its second decade.
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