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Foreign Secretary Menon arrives in US

By Sridhar Krishnaswami in Washington, DC
February 20, 2007 20:19 IST
Discussions on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and bilateral technology cooperation will be high on the agenda during Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's visit to the United States beginning Wednesday.

Following concerns in New Delhi over "certain elements" in the newly enacted US law on the deal, Menon will present India's proposals to be incorporated in the bilateral 123 agreement that is under negotiation to operationalise the deal.

Menon, who is leading a high-powered delegation comprising officials from the External Affairs, Information and Technology and Science and Technology ministries, will be here on a three-day visit.

The visit takes place at a time when negotiations are still continuing on the 123 Agreement. Menon, on his first trip to the US after becoming Foreign Secretary, is expected to hold talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and main US interlocuter for Indo-US nuclear deal and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.

He is also scheduled to hold talks with officials in the departments of State, Defence, Commerce and Agriculture. Menon will also hold talks with Deputy Secretary of Commerce David Sampson.

The primary purpose of Menon's visit is to attend the next round of the bilateral High Technology Cooperation Group meeting in Washington, of which he is the Co-Chair. An Indian business delegation is also coming to the US to participate in the HTCG dialogue.

Sridhar Krishnaswami in Washington, DC
Source: PTI
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