Peres coming next week

JERUSALEM, JAN. 4. Mr. Shimon Peres, a Minister in the Israeli Government, will travel to India next week for a four-day visit, and seek New Delhi's support to Tel Aviv in the West Asia crisis while briefing Indian leaders about the status of the peace process.

Mr. Peres, a former Prime Minister, would reach New Delhi on Monday and hold meetings with the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, and other senior leaders during his second trip to the country in less than four months, officials said here today. ``We hope that all our friends, including India, would exercise their influence on Palestinians to quit the path of violence and come to negotiating table to find a solution to the crisis,'' the officials said. Mr. Peres' visit assumes significance in view of the importance Israelis and Palestinians have attached to New Delhi in recent months following the current wave of bitter clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians.

``We have special regard for Mr. Peres for his personal efforts and significant contribution to bolster Indo- Israeli ties and his role behind Israel's first interim peace accord with the PLO in 1993 in Oslo. He is highly regarded by Indian leaders,'' the Indian Ambassador in Tel Aviv, Mr. Ranjan Mathai, said.

The elder statesman, who was awarded Nobel peace prize for the Oslo peace accord, is visiting India primarily at the invitation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to deliver the key- note address at its annual conference in Hyderabad. He is also scheduled to visit Mumbai and Hyderabad.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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