Menon, Clinton discuss Mumbai terror strikes

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Mar 10 (PTI) Counter-terrorism, including
Mumbai terror strikes and Afghanistan, and the Sri Lankan
conflict figured prominently during the talks Indian Foreign
Secretary Shivshankar Menon had with US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton here on Tuesday.

Menon, who is on a four-day visit to the US, met
Clinton at the State Department and discussed with her key
bilateral and regional issues, including the current situation
in Afghanistan.

Obama Administration considers India as a key regional
player in restoring lasting peace in Afghanistan.

"The meeting lasted for about half an hour. Among key
issues discussed at the meeting included Sri Lanka,
non-proliferation, counter-terrorism including Mumbai and
Afghanistan," a State Department official told PTI.

However, Indian diplomats were not available for
comments.

The official said news reports about the US army
carrying out civilian rescue operation in Sri Lanka did not
figure during the talks between Menon and Clinton.

He said the ongoing conflict between the Sri Lankan
Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the
current humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka was discussed
during the meeting.

This is the first high-level Indo-US interaction here
after President Barack Obama assumed office on January 20.

Menon, during the course of the day, also met Under
Secretary for Political Affairs William Burns and Deputy
Secretary of State James Steinberg.

The Indian Foreign Secretary is scheduled to meet
Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Representative for Pakistan
and Afghanistan, and several key Congressional leaders later
in the day.

Before the meeting, State Department spokesman Robert
Wood appreciated the role played by Menon in Indo-US civil
nuclear deal.

"Foreign Secretary Menon was a key player in terms of
helping bring about or brokering the -- the US-India nuclear
-- civil nuclear accord," Wood told reporters at his daily
press briefing.

The United States values its relationship with India,
he said. PTI LKJ
RAI
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