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Advani to leave for crucial US-UK tour
New Delhi, June 06: Amid India`s bold peace initiative with pakistan, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will today leave for a high-profile tour of the United States and Britain to continue dialogue on global fight against terrorism and strengthen bilateral strategic relationship.
New Delhi, June 06: Amid India's bold peace initiative with pakistan, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will today leave for a high-profile tour of the United States and Britain to continue dialogue on global fight against terrorism and strengthen bilateral strategic relationship.
International issues likely to figure during Advani's 12-day tour will be dominated by cross-border terrorism as well as the situation in South Asia.
The tour is being undertaken just after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's week-long visit to Germany, Russia and France.
Advani will have meetings with US Vice President Dick Cheney, defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and national security advisor Condolezza Rice for a ''more structured dialogue on Indo-US relationship'' during the course of his seven-day tour of US. ''It will be a continuation of the bilateral dialogue process,'' officials said adding that the meetings would take place at the White House. While the meeting with Cheney will take place on June 10, other meetings will be held on June 9.
Sources said there is a possibility of Advani's meeting with US President George Bush although so far it is not on the itinerary.
Across the Atlantic, Advani will hold consultations with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other leaders on wide-ranging issues including security-related matters, immigration and bilateral trade and exchange of prisoners. He will meet the British PM on June 16. He will also meet home secretary David Blunkett on the same day, which will be followed by delegation-level talks between the two countries.
Sources said Pakistan and its support to cross-border terrorism and other security-related issues would figure prominently during the meetings both at US and UK.
The visit, being undertaken at the invitation of the US Vice President, assumes significance after the Prime Minister's interaction with US President George Bush at St Petersburg in Russia last week.
Bush has assured Prime Minister Vajpayee that he would take up the issue of cross-border terrorism with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the Camp David summit later this month. Bureau Report
The tour is being undertaken just after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's week-long visit to Germany, Russia and France.
Advani will have meetings with US Vice President Dick Cheney, defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and national security advisor Condolezza Rice for a ''more structured dialogue on Indo-US relationship'' during the course of his seven-day tour of US. ''It will be a continuation of the bilateral dialogue process,'' officials said adding that the meetings would take place at the White House. While the meeting with Cheney will take place on June 10, other meetings will be held on June 9.
Sources said there is a possibility of Advani's meeting with US President George Bush although so far it is not on the itinerary.
Across the Atlantic, Advani will hold consultations with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other leaders on wide-ranging issues including security-related matters, immigration and bilateral trade and exchange of prisoners. He will meet the British PM on June 16. He will also meet home secretary David Blunkett on the same day, which will be followed by delegation-level talks between the two countries.
Sources said Pakistan and its support to cross-border terrorism and other security-related issues would figure prominently during the meetings both at US and UK.
The visit, being undertaken at the invitation of the US Vice President, assumes significance after the Prime Minister's interaction with US President George Bush at St Petersburg in Russia last week.
Bush has assured Prime Minister Vajpayee that he would take up the issue of cross-border terrorism with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the Camp David summit later this month. Bureau Report