Menon discusses Mumbai terror attacks with US officials

Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, Dec 3 (PTI) The Indian Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon Wednesday met with the officials of the US
administration to discuss the issues related to the terror
attacks in Mumbai that had claimed around 200 lives, including
foreigners.

Menon called on the Deputy Secretary of State John
Negroponte and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
William Burns during his two-day visit to Washington.

"The meetings covered a range of bilateral issues,
including counterterrorism cooperation, anti-piracy
coordination, the India-US civil nuclear agreement, defence
trade, space cooperation and furthering economic and
investment relations between the two countries," the Indian
Embassy said in a press statement.

Menon's visit was planned quite ahead of the terror
attacks in India's financial capital last week but the trip
took place as scheduled and terrorism was indeed on top of the
agenda during the discussions, sources told PTI.

Apart from having talks with Negroponte and Burns, the
senior Indian foreign service official received a call from
the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi who
offered her condolences over the tragedy.

Menon also had a conversation with Senator John Kerry,
the Chairman of the Sub Committee on Near East, Central and
South Asia in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and
met with several think-tanks and influential opinion-makers.

"In every conversation, support and commitment was
articulated to the transformed relationship, and desire
expressed to sustain the momentum through the present
transition in US, and beyond.

"All the interlocutors expressed sympathy and support to
the government and people of India in the context of the
heinous terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Unequivocal condemnation
of the incident and the need for the perpetrators to be held
accountable was reiterated," the Embassy has said.

"It was also indicated that there would be full
cooperation and support at various levels, including
government, from the US to India as it dealt with the
consequences of the incident," the Statement added.

The Foreign Secretary also had meetings with others,
including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer; Chairman of the
Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee
Christopher Dodd; Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Richard G Lugar; and Ranking Minority
Member for Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Member,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chuck Hagel.

"In meetings with several of the Senators, there were
also discussions on the present international economic and
financial situation, the new opportunities for cooperation
following the successful conclusion of the Civil Nuclear
Cooperation Agreement between India and the US, issues related
to energy security, climate change etc," the Embassy has said.
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