New Delhi and Riyadh should work together in shaping the global discourse on issues such as energy, food security, climate change and terrorism, said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the Shoura Council here Monday before wrapping up his three-day visit to the Kingdom. The address to the Shoura Council was the highlight of Singh's engagements in the Kingdom as it was a rare honor accorded to a foreign dignitary where he declared that India would grow 9-10 percent for the next 25 years and sought investments from Saudi Arabia. “We live in a world where the interests of peoples and countries are intertwined. As two countries representing old civilizations, India and Saudi Arabia should work together to promote dialogue and peaceful co-existence,” Singh said. He stressed the need for increased cooperation in dealing with regional issues such as maritime security, piracy, narcotics, human trafficking and other non-traditional threats to security. “The Kingdom and the region are blessed with the benevolence and statesmanship of His Majesty King Abdullah,” Singh said. He was of the view that Saudi Arabia and India together, could become a potent moral force for the achievment of a secured future for the generations to come. Singh said that members of the Shoura Council have among them some of the best minds in the Kingdom. “I am, therefore, deeply conscious of the honor done to me and to India by inviting me to address this august House,” Singh said amidst applause. “Saudi Arabia is the cradle of Islam and the land of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an. I have come to this ancient land with a message of peace, brotherhood and friendship. I bring to you the fraternal greetings of the people of India,” he said. Singh said India regards Saudi Arabia as a pillar of stability in the Gulf region. He said under the enlightened and sagacious leadership of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Arabia has taken rapid strides towards modernization. Its influence today extends far beyond the region, he added. Giving historical references, the Indian premier remarked that the confluence of Asian and Arab ideas and culture would help India and Saudi Arabia to rediscover each other and in the process enrich human civilization. Terming Palestine as a core issue and determinant of peace in the region, he said that the Palestinians have long been denied their legitimate rights including the establishment of a soveriegn Palestinian state. “I wish to pay a special tribute to His Majesty for the initiatives he has taken to bring about a just settlement (of the issue). We applaud and support the Arab Peace Initiative,” he said. “I take this opportunity of reiterating the principled, strong and consistent support of the government and people of India for the struggle of the Palestinian people,” he said. Speaking on terrorism, Singh said both Saudi Arabia and India are threatened by this menace. “The pursuit of terror in the name of religion or any other cause or grievance cannot be acceptable to civilized societies.” Nowhere is this challenge greater than in Afghanistan, he said, adding the people of Afghanistan have suffered for far too long, he said. They (Afghans) deserve an atmosphere of peace and the opportunity to pursue a life of dignity and hope, he said. The international community should support all those elements of the Afghan society who wish to work towards the emergence of Afghanistan as a modern, stable and sovereign nation. He said no sanctuary should be given to those who promote terror, violence or instability in the country. The Indian premier said that New Delhi was willing to walk the “extra mile” to open a new chapter in relations with Pakistan but it must act decisively against terrorism. “We seek cooperative relations with Pakistan. Our objective is a permanent peace because we recognize that we are bound together by a shared future. If there is cooperation between India and Pakistan, vast opportunities will open up for trade, travel and development that will create prosperity in both countries and in South Asia as a whole,” Singh said. The Indian premier left for home Monday. During the three-day visit India and Saudi Arabia signed an extradition treaty and several pacts to raise their cooperation to a strategic partnership covering areas of security, economic, energy and defense. King Abdullah and Singh signed the Riyadh Declaration outlining the contours of a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries.
