New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee will be on a six-day visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel beginning on October 10.
President Mukherjee will pay a state visit to Jordan from October 10 to 12 at the invitation of King Abdullah-II Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
This will be the first visit by any Indian President to Jordan in the last 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had visited Jordan in 1988. From the Jordanian side, His Majesty King Abdullah and Queen Rania had visited India in 2006.
During his visit, President Mukherjee will meet King Abdullah and have extensive discussions on entire gamut of bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual concern.
He will also be meeting the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan would call on the President during his visit.
In the presence of President Mukherjee, a number of agreements are expected to be signed. He will also visit the University of Jordan and make a public speech besides gracing a function organised by the Indian Ambassador in Amman for Indian community and Friends of India.
President Pranab Mukherjee will next pay the first ever state visit to Palestine from October 12-13 at the invitation of his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas.
During the visit, the President will hold meetings and interactions with Palestinian President Abbas, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and the leaders of major political parties in Palestine.
The President will also address the Al Quds University and inaugurate Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School at Abu Dees. During the visit, India will augment its efforts to support the capacity building initiatives of Palestine.
In the final leg of this visit, President Mukherjee would pay his first state visit to Israel from October 13-15.
During the visit, he will have meetings and interactions with the President Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, Yuli-Yoel Edelstein. The President will also address the Knesset during the visit. The two sides will sign a number of MoUs in the fields of culture, education, science and technology.
President Mukherjee will be accompanied by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Members of Parliament and the members of the academic community, apart from official delegation and media representatives. (ANI)