The Hindu : National : Manmohan to meet Bush, Musharraf

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Saturday, Sep 18, 2004

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National

Manmohan to meet Bush, Musharraf

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 17. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet United States President George W. Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf during his weeklong stay in New York to attend the 59th session of the United Nations' General Assembly.

Dr. Singh, who leaves for London on Sunday afternoon, will have a working lunch with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday, the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Rajiv Sikri, told presspersons here.

Dr. Singh addresses the General Assembly on September 23 and he meets Mr. Bush on September 21. No date has been fixed for the Musharraf-Manmohan meeting.

Security Council

The Prime Minister will meet the leaders of Japan, Germany and Brazil in a group to further India's case to enter the U.N. Security Council as a permanent member.

Already, India and these nations have offered reciprocal support to one another for a permanent seat. When Mr. Sikri was asked about the meeting, he said Japan had proposed the four-way meeting.

Asked whether an agreement would be announced in technology cooperation between India and the U.S. during the Manmohan-Bush meeting, he said the Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, was discussing with officials in Washington.

India hoped to reaffirm its "strategic partnership" with the U.S. during the meeting between Dr. Singh and Mr. Bush, Mr. Sikri maintained.

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