Obama-Manmohan Meeting ‘Very Positive and Friendly’: Blake
The US has described the meeting between Premier Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama as ‘very positive and friendly’, denying any significant difference between News Delhi and Washington on Afghanistan and Headley or any other issues, said media reports.
“It was a very positive and friendly meeting,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake was quoted as saying while talking to reporters in Washington.
Blake was member of the US delegation headed by Obama which held discussions with Singh yesterday.
“I do not think there is any significant daylight between the United States and India on Afghanistan or Headley or any of the other issues that we are working on. We have very close cooperation on all of those issues,” Blake was quoted as saying while responding to a query.
“I think the President and the Prime Minister had good discussions on those, as well as on the issue of terrorism,” he was quoted as saying.
He made the remarks in response to a query about the difference between the two countries on key issues such as Afghanistan and giving access to Indian intelligence agencies to David Coleman Headley, 26/11 plotter.
“Prime Minister’s plans to continue to try to boost economic growth in India to get it up to 8, 9 or 10 percent, to continue to reduce poverty and provide opportunities for the people of India,” Blake was quoted as saying.
He also admired India’s economic surge under leadership of Manmohan Singh, reports said.
In the meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley said that the US had kept New Delhi fully informed about the investigations related to Headley.
“Obviously, we have kept India appraised of our ongoing investigation with respect to Headley,” he was quoted as saying.
“I think this (Headley) will be part of an ongoing conversation between India and the United States, given the shared importance of combating terrorism here and there,” Crowley was quoted as saying.
(Based on internet reports)
