Indian Ambassador: Syria-India Friendship “Unique”
DAMASCUS, (ST)- Marking India’s Republic Day, the Indian Embassy in Damascus held a reception at the Dama Rose Hotel attended by Speaker of the People’s Assembly, senior state and Baath Party officials, several ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Syria.
Man Mohan Bhanot , the Indian Ambassador in Damascus, described the friendship between India and Syria as “unique”, pointing out that the two countries have deep-rooted civilization and both share real secular values, enjoy ethnic and religious diversity and have suffered from terrorism.
The Indian diplomat stressed India’s support for finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria by the Syrians themselves, noting that his country welcomed Astana talks hoping that they will lead to positive results with regard to attaining political settlement in Syria.
The ambassador talked about the difficult circumstances through which India had passed before becoming a republic, clarifying that India, at present, enjoys notable development in education, innovations and in space and satellites fields.
“Modern India has been designed over decades based on restoring what it had been lost because of centuries of misrule,” Bhanot said.
On his part, Syria’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal al-Mikdad hailed the distinguished ties between Syria and India, affirming that the peoples of the two countries are still picking up the fruits of the historical relations , particularly after visits by late President Hafez Al-Assad and later on by President Bashar Al-Assad to India.
He expressed the Syrian people’s gratitude for India’s keeping close ties with Syria during the years of the crisis.
“Despite all circumstances, India today is hosting some 100 Syrian delegates of different specializations to provide them with training and expertise that help them take part in the reconstruction of their country, al-Mikdad said.
He added, India supports Syria’s war on terrorism, noting the coordination and cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.
Hamda Mustafa