Singh, Rudd deplore attacks on Indian students in Australia

Melbourne, Sept 26 (PTI) Prime Minister of India
Manmohan Singh and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd have
deplored the recent spate of attacks on Indian students in
Australia, even as they took note of the "strong actions"
taken by it to check the acts of violence.

Rudd met Singh at Pittsburg in the United States at
the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, where they discussed recent
attacks against Indian students studying in Australia. Rudd
will travel to India in November and a spokesman said both
Rudd and Singh looked forward to the visit.

"The leaders noted the large number of Indian students
in Australia," a spokesman for Rudd said after the meeting
with Singh Friday, according to an AAP report.

"They agreed that acts of violence were deplorable,
and noted the strong actions by Australian authorities to
respond to the attacks on Indian students."

Rudd and Singh met before the final day of the Group
of 20 meeting of world leaders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rudd's spokesman said they discussed the decision to
make the G-20 the key body for global economic governance over
the G8, which excluded Asians, Muslims and South American
countries, as well as Australia.

They also discussed one of Rudd's pet projects, a new
Asia Pacific community which would allow nations in the region
to discuss issues such as the economy, security and defence.

"Prime Minister Singh expressed his interest in Prime
Minister Rudd's Asia Pacific community concept and the leaders
agreed to co-operate further on the concept in future," the
spokesman for Rudd said. PTI