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Indian TV Reports Prime Minister's Meeting With US President

Posted on: Wednesday, 14 September 2005, 06:00 CDT

Text of report by Indian Doordarshan TV on 14 September

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with US President George Bush in New York today. This is the second meeting between the Indian prime minister and the US president in last two months. Earlier, the two countries had decided to increase cooperation in the civilian nuclear field during prime minister's visit to Washington in July under which the United States proposed to restart the supply of fuel for India's nuclear installations. Both leaders reviewed the progress made on this agreement.

Manmohan Singh is currently visiting the United States to attend the UN General Assembly session.

Our correspondent Bashir Malik gives more details on phone from New York on the prime minister's talks with George Bush:

[Anchor Vikas, live] Bashir Malik, Tell us what latest information you have? How long the talks lasted?

[Malik] Vikas, the talks lasted for about half an hour and after that Indian Foreign Secretary [Shyam Saram] briefed the newsmen about the issues discussed at the meeting. The most important thing is that President Bush has reiterated that the United States is committed to the assurances given on the issues and matters contained in the joint statement issued after the prime minister's visit to Washington [in July]. The US Congress is discussing it and Bush is hopeful that the Congress will ratify it. And, Bush said in this connection that the United States is committed to fulfil whatever requirements there are of India's nuclear (?installations) and at the same time Washington wants that India is helped in all sectors so that it rapidly makes further progress because India and the United States share common point of view. Vikas?

[Vikas] Bashir, whether issues like Kashmir or Afghanistan were discussed at the prime minister's meeting or not?

[Malik] You see, according to what the foreign secretary said, Iran was discussed. And, India reiterated its point of view on Iran and said New Delhi is against the development of weapons of mass destruction and Iran should fulfil the assurances it had given to the international community. Other than that, regional issues were discussed, although as I said earlier that the most important thing is that the United States has reiterated it would help India in the nuclear field as promised earlier. Besides, the prime minister expressed sympathies on behalf of the people of India for the people of United States for the losses caused by hurricane Katrina and an Indian relief plane has already arrived here in this connection and another plane is on its way. The prime minister again extended an invitation to President Bush to visit India. President Bush thanked India for the sympathies. Bush also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Washington visit was a historic visit, which drew attention of the entire international community to it.

[Vikas] Thank you, Bashir.

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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