The Hindu : International / India & World : Natwar's visit will help ties move forward: U.S.

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Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005

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International - India & World

Natwar's visit will help ties move forward: U.S.

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, APRIL 12. The Bush administration has said that the visit of the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, is an "opportunity to move forward generally" vis-à-vis bilateral relations.

The State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, was asked about Mr. Singh's visit which was on the heels of the trip to India by the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and whether the visit had anything to do about the sale of F-16 jets to Pakistan.

"I don't want to put any words into his [Mr. Singh] mouth about why he's coming here... for our purposes he and the Secretary agreed when she was in New Delhi that we had an opportunity now to move forward in the U.S.-India relationship, that we were all going to do everything possible to move into a new phase and that we wanted to do that through frequent and productive contacts," Mr. Boucher said. "And I think we saw this visit as an opportunity to move forward generally in the relationship on many topics that we have before us."

On the subject of India-Pakistan relations, the State Department has once again welcomed the recent initiatives and progress made by the two sides. "We're glad to see the things that have happened and we look forward to more. And they all seem quite committed to continuing to move forward in their own relationship. We think that's good for the region, it's good for the people of India, good for the people of Pakistan and good for those, like us, who wish them both well."

The External Affairs Minister is expected to meet a number of key players of the Republican administration and Congressional leaders of both parties.

Mr. Singh is expected to meet Dr. Rice on Thursday followed by a working lunch. He might also meet the President, George Bush.

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