Arab League calls for international intervention in West Asia

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) The Arab League today called for international intervention, including by NATO, the blue helmets or any global force that includes India, in West Asia to put pressure on Israel to vacate the Occupied Territories.

Ambassadors of several Arab countries in India, while addressing a joint press conference here, said India also needed to play a bigger role in the region and exercise its influence with Israel to vacate the Occupied Territories.

They said they wanted India to stand by them in the United Nations and all they were looking for, was action and not mere words.

Palestinian Ambassador to India, Osama Omer, while citing the example of Kosovo, said they wanted any international force, including NATO, to intervene in West Asia. The force can have India as a member.

''Let there be any international force, the NATO, blue helmets or the green helmets or any country on the planet.

But it must have India as part of the group,'' he said.

Mr Omer was flanked by Mr Ahmed Salem Al-Wahishi, Ambassador of the League of Aram States in India and the Ambassadors of Tunisia and Syria. The Iraqi Ambassador was also present.

Mr Omer, who was highly critical of the US role in the region, said he did not have any hope in the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP). But they did not have any choice and would keep on negotiating till the results were achieved.

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