US Ambassador-designate meets FS

US Ambassador-designate to India Timothy J Roemer on Friday met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embarks on a five-day visit to India.

US Ambassador-designate to India Timothy J Roemer on Friday met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embarks on a five-day visit to India.

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Describing the meeting at the South Block as a "courtesy call", the sources said it was all part of gearing-up for Clinton's visit. The US Secretary is arriving in Mumbai tonight.

Roemer, who met Menon at his South Block office, arrived here last night after his confirmation by the full Senate last week for the post.

On his nearly hour-long meeting, Roemer refused to make any comment and only said, "Namaste. It is good to be in India."

Prior to President Barack Obama's nominating him as Ambassador to India in May, Roemer was President of the Center for National Policy (CNP), a moderate think-tank in Washington, DC.

Testifying before the Senate Foreign Committee on July 7, the Ambassador-designate said, "Our relationship with India is a good news story. And while our relationship has gone through different stages, we are certainly moving ahead on an upward trajectory.

"This is not a zero sum game with winners and losers but a positive sum game, with India as a strong, stable global democracy increasing peace and prosperity for all," he said.