NOVANEWS
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI
NEW DELHI
Even as the humanitarian crisis worsens in Syria, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday wrote to Bashar al-Assad, his counterpart in the West Asian country, hoping that all sides would stop violence and resolve the conflict through discussions.
Pranab wrote the letter on the eve of Syria’s national day, which falls on April 17. Extending “warm greetings and felicitations” to Assad, the president reiterated to “further strengthen and diversify our bilateral cooperation”. Noting that both countries have enjoyed friendly relations, Pranab said India was therefore concerned at the loss of lives and violence in Syria.
“We hope that all sides will cease violence at the earliest and resolve all issues peacefully through discussions, in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué, taking into account the aspirations of the people of Syria,” Pranab said.
India has been supportive of the United Nations-led initiative to bring the two sides in the civil war to the negotiation table. Yet, there appears no end to the crisis, as both the rebels and government are balancing out each other militarily.
Pranab wrote the letter on the eve of Syria’s national day, which falls on April 17. Extending “warm greetings and felicitations” to Assad, the president reiterated to “further strengthen and diversify our bilateral cooperation”. Noting that both countries have enjoyed friendly relations, Pranab said India was therefore concerned at the loss of lives and violence in Syria.
“We hope that all sides will cease violence at the earliest and resolve all issues peacefully through discussions, in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué, taking into account the aspirations of the people of Syria,” Pranab said.
India has been supportive of the United Nations-led initiative to bring the two sides in the civil war to the negotiation table. Yet, there appears no end to the crisis, as both the rebels and government are balancing out each other militarily.
