Modi meets Palestine President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas here ahead of India-Palestine delegation-level talks.

"A relationship marked by solidarity & friendship. PM @narendramodi meets President Mahmoud Abbas at Hyderabad House in New Delhi," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Abbas was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here following which he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary and discussed issues of bilateral interest.

On Monday, addressing a gathering at the India Islamic Cultural Centre here, Abbas said that he would seek the help of Modi's good offices to reach the two-state solution that envisaged an independent, sovereign Palestine with East Jerusalem as the capital.

Abbas arrived here on Sunday on a four-day visit to India. This is his fifth visit to India and the third state visit after his visits in 2008 and 2012.

He is being accompanied by a delegation comprising Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Foreign Minister Riad Malki, Diplomatic Advisor Majdi Khaldi, Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Aburdeineh and Palestine's Chief Judge Mahmoud Habbash.