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No drift, ties with US on track: Manmohan
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday tried to put to rest the talk that bonhomie that existed between the two sides during George Bush's presidency was on the wane under President Barack Obama.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday tried to put to rest the talk that bonhomie that existed between the two sides during George Bush's presidency was on the wane under President Barack Obama.
"I have a very good relationship with President Obama. So there should be no confusion on that point," the PM told mediapersons at the end of his four-day Washington visit. Singh was asked if he accepted the view that he shared a better relationship with Bush than Obama.
The PM also denied that the rapport shared with Obama was not being reflected in the working of two administrations. "In matters relating to statecraft, I think one should not jump prematurely into conclusions which are not warranted by facts on the ground."
Indo-US ties were multi-faceted, and not a "single-track operation", he said.
When asked about Pakistan seeking an India-like civil nuclear deal with the US, Singh said it was a bilateral matter.
He expressed hope that India's concerns about cross-border terrorism, which he raised with Obama, would "weigh considerably" on the US side.
Singh again said he was of the view that sanctions don't achieve their objective, but made clear that Delhi was opposed to nuclear weapon ambitions.
India, said the PM, would get access to David Coleman Headley, the Lashkar operative who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the 26/11 attacks.
"The president is aware of legal position and we will get access to Headley."
Headley confessed to his role in plotting the 26/11 carnage in a plea bargain in a Chicago court last month to escape death penalty.
