PM's november visit to the US.

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India, US to announce tangible partnership results during PM visit: Roemer


New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) India and the US will announce some of the most "tangible" results of their partnership in November, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh travels to Washington for an official visit.

Noting that President Barack Obama views the US-India relationship as "one of the most important partnerships for America's future", new US ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said "we plan to move from good work done and the goodwill earned between our countries over the past decade to build a truly global partnership addressing both our nations' top concerns...."

"Put another way, a new strategic partnership on the most critically important issues in the world to help advance our shared regional and global interests. As the US ambassador in India, I plan to vigorously support our broad strategic dialogue.....to bring the best of America forward in our engagement with India.

 

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The Hindu News Update Service


NEW DELHI: India and the US are expected to firm up cooperation in some areas of their recently recast strategic dialogue when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Washington on a State visit in November this year, the new U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said here on Wednesday. Mr. Roemer, an Obama Administration appointee, was talking to newspersons a day after presenting his credentials to President Pratibha Patil.

The US Ambassador outlined the salient aspects of the strategic dialogue announced at the end of US Secretary of State Hillary’s Clinton’s four day last month visit and emphasised Washington’s intention to advance the ``robust agenda.’’ Mr. Roemer identified strategic cooperation, energy and climate change, education and development, economics, trade and agriculture and science & technology.

``We intend to announce some of the most tangible results of our partnership this November, when Prime Minister Singh travels to Washington for an official visit. The Prime Minister has invited President Obama to visit India, too, and we are all looking forward to that visit,’’ he observed.

The US Ambassador disclosed that during his hour-long meeting with Mr. Obama before leaving for India, the President advised him to get out of Delhi as often as he could. Mr. Obama also spoke ``warmly and respectfully’’ about Dr. Singh. ``In fact, when we had this discussion at the White House, the President touched his heart and he said, `You make sure that you extend my heartfelt wishes to the Prime Minister and his health.’ He said that he views the U.S. – India relationship as one of the most important partnerships for America’s future, added Mr. Roemer.

The Ambassador termed the various components of the strategic dialogue as ``big, bold and a broad series of undertakings’’ which both sides had resolved to work on many of them simultaneously. ``We plan to move from the good work done and the goodwill earned between our countries over the past decade to build a truly global partnership addressing both our nations’ top concerns and promises of better health for our children’s futures.’’

In addition to working on the strategic dialogue, both sides would also continue to improve some of the important working relations including terrorism. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials are testifying this week in Mumbai in the 26/11 trial and ``we cannot forget that six Americans were killed along with dozens of Indians and so many others in that tragic and brutal attack.’’

The US would continue to seek justice for those killed and injured in Mumbai and will work closely with India to share the lessons learnt in the wake of the September 11, 2001. ``To that end, we have invited the Indian Home Minister Chidambaram to visit the United States for additional discussions on precisely how our two nations can cooperate,’’ he observed.

 

[Pintu]

US begins preparations to host Prime Minister in November - India - NEWS - The Times of India

US begins preparations to host Prime Minister in November
PTI 13 August 2009, 12:16pm IST

WASHINGTON: US has begun preparations to accord a "roboust" welcome to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November, the first state visit of the Obama administration, to make it a special visit for the Indian leader and a "milestone" event in the Indo-US relationship.

Singh will be in Washington on November 24 in a sign of importance the US attaches to its ties with India.

Assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia Robert Blake held the first inter-agency meeting in this regard on Wednesday at the state department.

"It was a kick-off meeting for what promises to be a very robust welcome of the Prime Minister, when he lands in Washington in November," a participant of the inter-agency meeting said.

"The brain storming has just begun on how to take the relationship to a brand new level," he said, terming the meeting as very robust.

"This demonstrates the determination of this administration to make the first state visit of Prime Minister, a very special visit," he said.

Besides top officials of the state department, the meeting was attended by senior officials from the department of commerce, US trade development agency, department of energy, US trade representative office and National Security Council.

A key feature of the meeting was participation of private sector representatives.

The Obama administration has already indicated that the private sector would play a central role in moving the relationship forward.

This was amply reflected when secretary of state Hillary Clinton, during her India trip last month spent more time with the private sector in Mumbai, before meeting government officials in New Delhi.

The USIBC synergies summit has three cabinet secretaries, laying out their India agenda to the private sector.

"They are looking for private sector to be the full partners as the Obama administration prepares for the Prime Minister's visits," a participant of the meeting said.

Those involved in preparation of the 2005 state visit of Singh, recalled that it was just a government affair restricted to a small group, unlike this time when a large number of agencies and the private sector have been brought on board at such an early stage.

"The planning meetings have just begun and this is exciting because the private sector has been so engaged so early on," one of the participants said.

"The heartening and gratifying thing to learn is that the state department and this administration fully recognises the importance of the private sector in this relationship," he said.