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Pranab, Rice review bilateral relations

— Photo: PTI

Firming up ties: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

New York: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice here on Wednesday to review bilateral issues.

Meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, the two discussed “a gamut of items of cooperation” and international issues of concern, a release issued by the Indian Permanent Mission here said. However, the release did not say whether the India-U.S. civilian nuclear deal came up for discussion.

The deal, which aims at giving India access to American nuclear fuel and equipment to help meet its soaring energy needs, has to be approved by the U.S. Congress, the IAEA and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

After the parleys between the two sides which stretched for 45 minutes, Mr. Mukherjee said it was a “good meeting.” Ms. Rice and Mr. Mukherjee expressed satisfaction at the growing bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. “The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations across the gamut of items of cooperation. They also considered the international situation and exchanged views on issues of concern,” the release said.

Reviewing the progress achieved by SAARC, leaders of the grouping advocated greater cooperation among the members. At an informal ministerial-level meeting of the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session here, the leaders discussed the need to expand cooperation among members of the bloc.

Mr. Mukherjee chaired the closed-door meeting which heard a report of SAARC’s work since the last summit in New Delhi in April last. Following the discussions, Mr. Mukherjee hosted an “iftar” reception for the SAARC delegates on Wednesday.

Mr. Mukherjee had intensive discussions with Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on the international security situation, with particular reference to Afghanistan. They stressed the need for continued international cooperation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, officials later said.

At a separate meeting, Mr. Mukherjee and the European Union’s High Representative for the Common Security and Foreign Policy Javier Solana reviewed preparations for the forthcoming India-European Union Summit. Mr. Mukherjee and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni examined areas for further cooperation in such areas as high-technology at their meeting. Mr. Mukherjee later left for Washington to lead the Indian delegation to the climate change conference convened by U.S. President George W. Bush.

India, Brazil and South Africa, meanwhile, have called for “immediate, element-based and result-oriented” inter-governmental negotiations for the expansion of the Security Council.

Mr. Mukherjee, who met his counterparts, Celso Amorim of Brazil and Nkosazana Dalmini-Zuma of South Africa, here, also discussed matters of mutual interest and issues relating to IBSA Dialogue Forum and IBSA Fund for Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger.

The three countries, known by the acronym IBSA, are strong contenders for permanent seats in an expanded Council. Preparations for the second IBSA Summit in South Africa next month also came up for discussions, officials said. The U.N. General Assembly on September 17 decided to remit the issue of expansion of the Council to the next session. -- PTI

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