US begins preparations to host Prime Minister in Nov

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Aug 13 (PTI) US has begun preparations to
accord a "roboust" welcome to Prime Minister of India Manmohan
Singh in November, the first state visit of the Obama
Administration, to make it a special visit for the Indian
leader and a "milestone" event in the Indo-US relationship.

Singh will be in Washington on November 24 in a sign
of importance the US attaches to its ties with India.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asia Robert Blake held the first inter-agency meeting in this
regard on Wednesday at the State Department.

"It was a kick-off meeting for what promises to be a
very robust welcome of the Prime Minister, when he lands in
Washington in November," a participant of the inter-agency
meeting told PTI.

"The brain storming has just begun on how to take the
relationship to a brand new level," he said, terming the
meeting as very robust.

"This demonstrates the determination of this
Administration to make the first state visit of Prime
Minister, a very special visit," he said.

Besides top officials of the State Department, the
meeting was attended by senior officials from the Department
of Commerce, US Trade Development Agency, Department of
Energy, US Trade Representative Office and National Security
Council. PTI LKJ