E-Paper
Obama to highlight opportunities for Indo-US cooperation
In a special gesture, President Barack Obama will attend a reception to be hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her Indian counterpart S M Krishna in Washington, during which he will highlight opportunities for increased bilateral cooperation in areas like defence, trade, energy and climate change.
In a special gesture, President Barack Obama will attend a reception to be hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her Indian counterpart S M Krishna in Washington, during which he will highlight opportunities for increased bilateral cooperation in areas like defence, trade, energy and climate change.
Setting aside protocol, Obama will drive down from the White House to the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department to attend the reception to be hosted for the External Affairs Minister and other members of his delegation, who are here for the first Indo-US Strategic Dialogue.
The President will be going to the State Department, where the Strategic Dialogue is to be held, "given his personal interest in further strengthening our bilateral partnership," US National Security Council spokesman, Mike Hammer, said.
At the conclusion of the Strategic Dialogue, Obama would personally speak to members of visiting Indian delegation led by Krishna and those of his administration.
"The President will use the opportunity to speak to the Indian and US delegations to highlight the potential and opportunities of increased close cooperation, including in the areas of defence, trade, energy and climate change," Hammer said.
Obama's gesture to attend the reception tonight for the External Affairs Minister is being considered as rare on the part of the US President.
US officials say Obama, despite having to spend much of his time on pressing issues like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the Middle East and Korean peninsula, has shown personal interest in building strategic relationship with India.
