Friday, March 10 2006 09:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ramallah: Describing India as the greatestdemocracy in the world, new Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Speaker Aziz Dwaik has urged the strengthening of Indo-Palestinian parliamentary relations in the first contact between the two sides since January's general elections.

"We want to learn from the Indian democratic experience in shaping our own democratic systems as we proceed forward," Dwaik told Indian representative to the Palestinian Authority (PA), Om Prakash.

PLC media adviser Basem Barhoum told sources that India has expressed its commitment to the establishment of a secure, viable and prosperous state of Palestine with recognized borders living side by side with Israel.

"India respects the wishes of the Palestinian people and supports peaceful resolution of the conflict based on negotiations aimed at a two state solution as envisioned by President Mahmoud Abbas," Barhoum quoted the Indian representative as saying to the Speaker.

The Indian representative was also briefed on the current political situation, he said.