NEW DELHI: Even as West Asia is sharply divided along sectarian lines amid the Saudi-Iran cold war, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hardsell India’s pluralistic tradition to her Arab counterparts, when she travels there this weekend.
Sushma will visit Bahrain capital Manama to take part in the first ministerial meeting of India and the 22-member League of Arab states on January 23-24. It was initially scheduled for December 20, but was postponed on the request of Arab states as their foreign ministers were in New York for a UNSC resolution on a peace plan for war-torn Syria.
As per sources, about 13-14 Arab foreign ministers have confirmed their presence at the meeting in Manama, which is considered a “good turnout”. Speaking at a seminar on West Asia on Wednesday, Ministry of External Affairs’ Secretary (East) Anil Wadhwa said India would be highlighting the need to bring an end to sectarianism in the region, which could easily go out of control. He was referring to flaring up of regional friction as a result of Saudi Arabia cutting off ties with Iran, after its embassy was burned down in Tehran by a mob protesting the hanging of a Shia cleric.
“The message that we will convey in Manama is that we have the Indian idiom which is an experience to go by and we should look at that as well and try and understand, as it is important that sectarianism is first of all something that needs to be avoided,” Wadhwa said. India has always prided itself on its unique model of harmony as conflicts between Sunnis and Shias have not played out violently in the country as it happens in the neighborhood. Wadhwa termed the recent set of events in Saudi Arabia and Iran a “new high” in regional tension.
“It does not augur well for the region on the whole and requires careful monitoring and assessment to preserve our vital stakes and interests while avoiding the risk of entanglement,” said the senior diplomat. These are the first public words of concern expressed by an Indian official since the Saudi-Iran spat intensified.
So far, India’s only public comment had been to criticise the burning of the Saudi embassy as a violation of Iran’s international obligations. A joint statement is expected at the end of the ministerial meeting, which is currently under negotiation.