Image for PM, Obama talk 26/11
Washington, April 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday held a bilateral meeting with US President Barack Obama amidst the US urging limits on the nuclear stockpiles of both India and Pakistan. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had on Saturday said the manner in which India and
Pakistan had pursued nuclear weapons had “upset the balance of nuclear deterrence”. It was their second meeting in about five months.
The Prime Minister, in his meeting with President Obama, focused on the ongoing developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan and reviewed bilateral ties and shared views on regional and global issues. The two leaders were also understood to have discussed India’s concerns over American military aid to Pakistan.
The Prime Minister also talked of cross-border terrorism and the progress being made by Pakistan in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack investigation. The leaders also discussed Af-Pak policy and civil nuclear energy cooperation. The meeting was held ahead of Monday’s Nuclear Security Summit.
India also raised the issue of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, wanted in connection with the Mumbai terror attack. National security adviser Shivshankar Menon, accompanying the Prime Minister, will raise the issue during his meeting with his American counterpart, Gen. James Jones (Retd). Prime Minister Singh and President Obama also talked of proposed sanctions against Iran. It may be recalled here that the American move for sanctions against Iran concerns India. On Saturday, clear indications were given that India was not in favour of sanctions against Iran. The Prime Minister, who reached Washington on Saturday, was received by
White House chief of protocol Capricia Marshall at Andrews Air Force base. India’s ambassador to the US, Ms Meera Shankar, was also present to welcome the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has a packed schedule of bilateral meetings with the leaders of the US, France and Canada. However, any bilateral meeting with Pakistan has been ruled out. A meeting between India and Pakistan is expected at Bhutan during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit on April 28 and 29. Pakistan has proposed a meeting between its Prime Minister, Mr Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Dr Singh.
The Nuclear Security Summit, starting on Monday, will be attended by leaders of 47 nations. Prime Minister Singh is to seek firm responses to the challenges of proliferation and the possibility of terrorists gaining access to atomic material. The summit aims to come to a common understanding of the threat posed by nuclear terrorism and to agree to effective measures to secure nuclear material and prevent nuclear smuggling and terrorism.
During his departure, Dr Singh had expressed hope that the summit would focus on nuclear terrorism and the security of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies as these are legitimate concerns which require firm responses. “India has a well-developed indigenous nuclear energy programme which dates back six decades. We have an impeccable record of security, safety and non-proliferation which reflects our conduct as a responsible nuclear power,” he had said. “India has been a consistent advocate of complete and universal global nuclear disarmament,” the Prime Minister had observed.
The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, President Hu Jintao of China and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia.
Sanjay Basak
