Assad begins India visit

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday arrived in India on a five-day visit during which the two countries are expected to enhance bilateral relations and sign several agreements, officials said. This is the first visit to India by Assad and the first by a Syrian president in nearly three decades. Assad's father, then- president Hafez al-Assad, visited Delhi in 1978.
The Syrian leader was greeted at the international airport in the Indian capital New Delhi by India's Junior Foreign Affairs Minister E Ahamed. Assad is accompanied by his wife Asma al-Bashar and a high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, Economy and Trade Minister Amer Husni Lutfi and Minister of Telecommunication and Technology Emad Sabouni.
Al-Assad is due to discuss the entire gamut of regional and economic issues with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh including the Middle East peace process during the summit meet on Wednesday, Indian Foreign Ministry officials said. Bilateral pacts, including one on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion another on cooperation in agriculture were expected to be signed after the talks on Wednesday. The talks will further strengthen bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of trade and economy, officials said.
"We hope that the visit is going to give a very good impetus to the Syria-India relations," Syrian Expatriates Minister Bouthaina Shaaban had told reporters in Delhi. In his official engagements on Wednesday, al-Assad is also due to meet his counterpart President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and other Indian leaders including Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the chairwoman of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, Sonia Gandhi.
Later on Wednesday evening, Patil will host a banquet in honour of the Syrian leader. Assad's visit is significant as Syria is chair of the six-nation Arab League and the Indian establishment considers it an important part of its engagement with members of the Arab world.
Although New Delhi's ties with Israel have grown over the past 15 years, it has maintained its traditional strong ties with Arab countries. In a recent interview, Assad indicated that Syria was keen on India assuming a more pro-active and direct role in peace negotiations in the Middle East.
Assad told the Hindu newspaper that India, which had good relations with Israel and other Arab countries, could play a more direct role between Syria and Israel and the Palestinians and Israel. In Delhi, Assad is scheduled to visit the National Informatics Centre and later travel to the country's information technology (IT) hub of Bangalore, to see India's IT industry and invite Indian investment. He will also visit biotechnology establishments in the southern city as well as the Indian Space Research Organisation. Assad's trip would also include a trip to the Taj Mahal in Agra, officials said.