United States Ambassador David C Mulford on Friday met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and discussed issues relating to the setting up of a US consulate.
Though no details of their discussions were made available, official sources said they discussed issues relating to the US consulate, which is expected to begin operations late this year.
The meeting took place at a time when US officials are busy in renovating Paigah Palace, a 100-year-old heritage building in the busy Begumpet area, where the consulate will be located.
A lease agreement for establishing the American consulate was signed by the chief minister and the US envoy in July last year.
While the consulate is expected to start functioning from a temporary building later this year, a permanent facility would come up by 2011 on a 12-acre land offered by the state government at Gacchibowli on the city outskirts.
This is the fourth US consulate in India after Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
US President George W Bush, during his visit to Hyderabad in March 2006, had announced setting up of the consulate.