New Delhi: Adopting a balanced approach towards its Middle East policy, India will be hosting Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath ahead of a landmark visit to New Delhi early next month by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Official sources said the programme of the Palestinian minister, expected in New Delhi next week, was still being fine-tuned. He will hold wide-ranging discussions with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on the entire gamut of bilateral ties besides exchanging views on important regional and international developments.

Shaath will brief New Delhi on the Palestinian perspective of the ongoing developments in West Asia.

While India enjoys long-standing relations with the Arab world, its relations with Israel have also expanded. Well aware of the sensitivities involved, New Delhi has sought to consolidate its ties with the two sides.

Official sources said India views Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's visit, the first ever to India by an Israeli Prime Minister, as an "important diplomatic visit".

PTI