Bush sending Rice to India, assures full support in probe

Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, Dec 1 (PTI) Demonstrating "shared commitment" to combat terror, US President George W Bush has assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that US agencies will throw their weight behind the probe into Mumbai attacks and is sending his top diplomat Condoleezza Rice to India.

Rice's tour to New Delhi will follow Indian Foreign
Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon's two-day visit to Washington
beginning today, during which he will hold talks with his
counterpart Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
William Burns.

Bush has asked the Secretary of State, who was already
scheduled to depart tonight for a NATO meet in London, to
travel to India Wednesday in the wake of Mumbai terror
attacks, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said Sunday
night.

"Secretary Rice's visit to India is a further
demonstration of the United States' commitment to stand in
solidarity with the people of India as we all work together to
hold these extremists accountable," Perino added.

"The president and the secretary thought it was important
to take this moment to travel to Delhi to express the
condolences of the American people directly to the Indian
government and the Indian people. And to hold face-to-face
conversations with Indian officials," State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Bush rang up Singh Sunday night, his second telephone
call to the Prime Minister since the terror attack in Mumbai,
and said the US will work together with international
community to bring the perpetrators to book.

He told Singh that "out of this tragedy can come an
opportunity to hold these extremists accountable and
demonstrate the world's shared commitment to combat
terrorism," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

"President Bush told the prime minister that he has
directed the state and defence departments along with other
federal agencies to devote the necessary resources and
personnel to this situation," Johndroe said.

Expressing solidarity with the people of India, as they
recover from the unprecedented terror strikes that killed
close to 200 people including several foreigners, "Bush again
expressed our deepest condolences," he said.

McCormack said US officials will discuss the issue of
cooperation in the war on terror with India.

"It is a sad fact that India has now experienced this
level of terror. So I am sure that the secretary and others in
the government will be having discussions going forward about
cooperating on the war on terror. But again, those will go at
the pace with whatever the Indian government is comfortable
with," he said.

Asked if Rice could also contact Pakistani officials
during her trip, McCormack said "I don't have anything to
announce at this point on that."

High-level sources told PTI that Menon's visit will cover
the gamut of the bilateral relations but Mumbai terror attacks
will give further significance to the talks.

Besides Burns, Menon is expected to meet representatives
in President-elect Barack Obama's team as also with Senators
and members of the House of Representatives. PTI SK