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Terrorism, troops to Iraq dominate Bush-Advani talks
Washington, June 10: Cross-border terrorism and possibility of sending Indian troops for peacekeeping in Iraq came up for discussion at a meeting at the White House on Monday between Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and US President George W Bush.
Washington, June 10: Cross-border terrorism and possibility of sending Indian troops for peacekeeping in Iraq came up for discussion at a meeting at the White House on Monday between Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and US President George W Bush.
Emerging from the half-an-hour meeting to which the Deputy Prime Minister was invited by Bush, Advani told reporters that he discussed with Bush cross-border terrorism and a range of other issues.
Asked whether ties between India and Pakistan were discussed in detail, Advani said, "He (Bush) reflected our concerns and our problems but not specifically".
Asked whether Indo-Pak relations would be discussed between Bush and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf when the military ruler visits US in the last week of this month, Advani said "I`m sure that will be discussed".
He said Bush brought up the issue of India`s contribution to peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Advani said he told the American President that the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security had discussed the issue twice and needed some clarifications.
Bush immediately agreed to send a team to New Delhi next Monday to discuss the issue and provide the clarifications, he said.
India has so far hedged on the issue of sending troops to Iraq where the US is finding the goings increasingly hostile.
Bush, according to Advani, said he greatly appreciated peace initiatives taken by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Pakistan and he naturally had in mind that India can take initiative of this kind only if it is confident about its own security, said.
"Bush agreed every country has to look after its security," Advani said.
President Bush said in his discussion with Vajpayee in St Petersburg recently he had referred to the Prime Minister`s initiative several times.
"We can only hope that Pakistan responds positively to this initiative and that it yields results," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Advani said he conveyed to Bush and Rice India`s satisfaction over the kind of relationship that is developing between India and the US in various fields, including defence.
Advani said during his discussion with various key officials of US administration he got the feeling that Indo-American relations are now on a different level altogether not tied to any specific issue.
"It is not an alliance of convenience," said Advani, adding "it is a principled relationship between the world`s biggest democracies, the largest and the strongest. It is proceeding very satisfactorily in that direction."
"There is cooperation on various issues including defence, sharing of information on terrorism and so on," he added.
Advani pointed out that director of India`s Intelligence Bureau K P Singh was with him on this trip as also Home Secretary N Gopalaswamy.
He said we discussed details as to what should be done further in so far as sharing of intelligence is concerned.
He said the two countries have been sharing papers in this regard.
Earlier in the day, Advani had a luncheon meeting with US Attorney General John Ashcroft and terrorism is understood to have figured prominently at their meeting.
Advani and Ashcroft are also believed to have discussed the laws both countries are pursuing to make it difficult for terrorists to operate, both in banking and other channels to fund terrorism.
Other subjects discussed between Advani and Ashcroft included the Indo-US agreement on counter-terrorism, the implementation of the mutual legal assistance treaty, extradition and cross-border terrorism.
Bureau Report
Emerging from the half-an-hour meeting to which the Deputy Prime Minister was invited by Bush, Advani told reporters that he discussed with Bush cross-border terrorism and a range of other issues.
Asked whether ties between India and Pakistan were discussed in detail, Advani said, "He (Bush) reflected our concerns and our problems but not specifically".
Asked whether Indo-Pak relations would be discussed between Bush and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf when the military ruler visits US in the last week of this month, Advani said "I`m sure that will be discussed".
He said Bush brought up the issue of India`s contribution to peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Advani said he told the American President that the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security had discussed the issue twice and needed some clarifications.
Bush immediately agreed to send a team to New Delhi next Monday to discuss the issue and provide the clarifications, he said.
India has so far hedged on the issue of sending troops to Iraq where the US is finding the goings increasingly hostile.
Bush, according to Advani, said he greatly appreciated peace initiatives taken by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Pakistan and he naturally had in mind that India can take initiative of this kind only if it is confident about its own security, said.
"Bush agreed every country has to look after its security," Advani said.
President Bush said in his discussion with Vajpayee in St Petersburg recently he had referred to the Prime Minister`s initiative several times.
"We can only hope that Pakistan responds positively to this initiative and that it yields results," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Advani said he conveyed to Bush and Rice India`s satisfaction over the kind of relationship that is developing between India and the US in various fields, including defence.
Advani said during his discussion with various key officials of US administration he got the feeling that Indo-American relations are now on a different level altogether not tied to any specific issue.
"It is not an alliance of convenience," said Advani, adding "it is a principled relationship between the world`s biggest democracies, the largest and the strongest. It is proceeding very satisfactorily in that direction."
"There is cooperation on various issues including defence, sharing of information on terrorism and so on," he added.
Advani pointed out that director of India`s Intelligence Bureau K P Singh was with him on this trip as also Home Secretary N Gopalaswamy.
He said we discussed details as to what should be done further in so far as sharing of intelligence is concerned.
He said the two countries have been sharing papers in this regard.
Earlier in the day, Advani had a luncheon meeting with US Attorney General John Ashcroft and terrorism is understood to have figured prominently at their meeting.
Advani and Ashcroft are also believed to have discussed the laws both countries are pursuing to make it difficult for terrorists to operate, both in banking and other channels to fund terrorism.
Other subjects discussed between Advani and Ashcroft included the Indo-US agreement on counter-terrorism, the implementation of the mutual legal assistance treaty, extradition and cross-border terrorism.
Bureau Report