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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday reiterated India's support for the Gaza Peace Plan, adding that "regional and international issues of mutual interest" will be discussed during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jordan and Oman.
While addressing a press briefing on the upcoming foreign visit of the PM, officials said that while specific topics of discussion are not known, both sides are set to "discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest." "Both with Oman and Jordan, our relationship has its own importance. The leaders will be discussing regional and international issues of mutual interest. At this stage, I won't be able to tell what all issues will be coming up, maybe post the event, we will be able to brief on that," said Secretary (CPV and OIA), Arun Kumar Chatterjee. Meena Malhotra, Secretary (South), said that India's position on Gaza is publicly known, as India has attended the Gaza peace summit, officially known as the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, too. "We have welcomed the signing of the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan. You know our position, we also attended the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, our minister of state for external affairs had attended. We generally support any effort to build lasting peace," said Secretary (South) Meena Malhotra. On Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ethiopia, Malhotra said that India is working with its partner countries to organise the next edition of the India-Africa Summit. "Regarding Ethiopia, it is an important country in Africa, it is part of the African Union, and it's actually the headquarters of the African Union. We have had some editions of the India-Africa forum summit in Ethiopia, when we had the Banjul formula. I don't know what would be the discussions will be regarding the forthcoming summit, but I know we have been working with our African partners to organise the next editions of the India-Africa summit," she said. PM Modi's upcoming visit to various countries comes just a few days after the Prime Minister spoke with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, backing the implementation of the Gaza peace plan. On December 10, in a telephonic conversation with the Israeli PM, the two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia and reviewed broader strategic cooperation. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi and Netanyahu "exchanged views on the situation in West Asia," with the Indian leader reaffirming support for efforts "towards a just and durable peace in the region, including early implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan." The two leaders "expressed satisfaction at the continued momentum in India-Israel Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening these ties for mutual benefit." The Prime Minister will embark on a bilateral visit to Jordan from December 15-17. This will be his first bilateral visit to the country. The PM will meet Jordanian King Abdullah II to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchange perspectives on regional issues. PM Modi's three-nation tour will conclude at the Sultanate of Oman on December 17-18. This is the second visit of the Prime Minister to the Sultanate of Oman, after his last visit in 2018. (ANI)
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