Nuke tech instead of high table
Washington is making it known that it is giving PM's visit an extraordinary high profile, writes S Rajagopalan.
US officials point to the possibility of a forward push on civilian nuclear and space cooperation with India when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets with President George W Bush at the Oval Office on Monday.
But on the key issue of support for India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, it seems Washington will wait until other UN reforms go through first.
"We are not yet ready to announce American support for India (over UNSC)," a senior administration official said on Friday during a special briefing on the Prime Minister's visit.
"I won't anticipate any change (in the US position) or any dramatic announcement on Monday."
A host of bilateral communiques are expected after the Bush-Singh meeting. Washington is making it known that it is giving the visit an extraordinary high profile. As he put it, there is no higher priority for the US now than to expand and deepen ties with India.
The official, however, declined to go into details on what to expect on civilian nuclear and space cooperation. "We are very, very close now to completion of the NSSP (Next Steps in Strategic Partnership). That is one of the reasons why we have this emerging relationship at several levels," he said.
Facing a barrage of questions on the UNSC issue, the official drew attention to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's comments that India's stature is such that it will have to be accommodated in international institutions, including the UN.