By KUNA,
New Delhi : President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas laid the corner stone on Tuesday of the Palestinian embassy in the Indian capital at a ceremony attended by senior Indian officials and many diplomats.
In a statement on the occasion, Abbas expressed appreciation to the Indian government for taking charge of costs of construction of the building for the diplomatic mission.
“India has been well known for such gestures,” he said, affirming depth of the Indian-Palestinian ties.
Abbas praised the Indians’ support for the Palestinian people’s struggle for establishment of an independent state.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also spoke at the ceremony, said New Delhi’s tangible overture reflected depth of the bilateral ties, adding that his government allocated USD 20 million for the Palestinians — half of the sum for financing development ventures and the rest for the construction of the building of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in the Indian capital.
Abbas arrived in New Delhi late on Monday. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Riad Al-Maliki.
Abbas will meet with Indian officials, namely Vice President Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Head of India’s Congress Party Sonia Gandhi and Leader of India’s opposition Bharatiya Janata Party LK Advani.