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No to F-16 sales to Pak, Rice tells Natwar

     New Delhi: India's MInister of External Affairs and visiting US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on Wednesday agreed that both countries needed to take the Next Stage in Strategic Talks (NSST) forward, besides expanding the scope of deliberations on other issues of bilateral, regional and international interest to the two countries. Briefing newspersons here at a joint press conference after a delegation-level meeting held at New Delhi's imperious red sandstone Hyderabad House, Rice, who is on her visit to the Indian capital after assuming charge this year as Secretary of State, said that both countries had discussed the issue of the sale of more F-16s to Pakistan and how best to enhance defence cooperation between Washington and New Delhi. Singh told reporters that India had conveyed its concern to the US over its reported move to sell F-16 warplanes to Pakistan. He said that while raising concern over the possible supply of F-16s to Pakistan, it was conveyed that this might create 'some complications'. However, he added that there were "no serious differences" in the 'free and frank' talks as the bilateral ties were maturing. Rice specifically sought to allay New Delhi's apprehensions saying that there has been no such agreement with Islamabad. "I don't expect any such announcement" during the course of the visit to South Asia, including Pakistan," the U.S.Secretary of State said.

Manmohan invited to US (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: US President George W Bush has invited Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to visit the United States. Visiting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice extended the invitation during a meeting here, foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said. Rice met Singh for a one-on-one meeting which lasted about 25 minutes, which she conveyed Bush's "personal admiration for vibrancy of the Indian democracy," Sarna said.

Smiling Rice calls on Sonia Gandhi (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: A smiling US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, who is here on a day-long visit before heading towards Pakistan, started of her official engagements on Wednesday by calling on Congress Party president and chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), Sonia Gandhi early this morning. Dressed in white-striped suit, Rice was accompanied by the US Ambassador to India, David Mulford and a bevy of personnel from the US Security Service. Soon after her arrival, Rice was received by the Minister of External Affairs, K.Natwar Singh, who was dressed in a band gala suit with a red handkerchief to boot. Both warmly shook hands before Singh escorted Rice into the sanctum sanctorum at 10, Janpath, even as a huge posse of cameramen clicked maddingly away. The meeting lasted for about 30-minutes, and the two ladies are reported to have discussed issues of bilateral, regional and international importance to both countries. Later, Rice was personally escorted to her waiting limousine by Sonia Gandhi, who was dressed in a beige colour sari. The car later left for Hyderabad House where the Indian and American delegations are meeting for talks. Officials described the morning meeting as a courtesy call.

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