Demonstrating “shared commitment” to combat terror, President George W Bush has assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that US agencies will throw their weight behind the probe into Mumbai attacks and is sending his top diplomat Condoleezza Rice to India.
Rice’s tour to New Delhi will follow Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon’s two-day visit to Washington beginning today, during which he will hold talks with his counterpart Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns.
Bush has asked the Secretary of State, who was already scheduled to depart tonight for a NATO meet in London, to travel to India in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said last night.
“Secretary Rice’s visit to India is a further demonstration of the US’ commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of India as we all work together to hold these extremists accountable,” Perino added.
“The president and the secretary thought it was important to take this moment to travel to Delhi to express the condolences of the American people directly to the Indian government and the Indian people. And to hold face-to-face conversations with Indian officials,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Bush rang up Singh last night, his second telephone call to the prime minister since the terror attack in Mumbai, and said the US will work together with international community to bring the perpetrators to book.
He told Singh that “out of this tragedy can come an opportunity to hold these extremists accountable and demonstrate the world’s shared commitment to combat terrorism,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
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“President Bush told the prime minister that he has directed the state and defence departments along with other federal agencies to devote the necessary resources and personnel to this situation,” Johndroe said.
Expressing solidarity with the people of India, as they recover from the unprecedented terror strikes that killed close to 200 people, including several foreigners, “Bush again expressed our deepest condolences,” he said.
McCormack said US officials will discuss the issue of cooperation in the war on terror with India.
“It is a sad fact that India has now experienced this level of terror. So I am sure that the secretary and others in the government will be having discussions going forward about cooperating on the war on terror. But again, those will go at the pace with whatever the Indian government is comfortable with,” he said. Asked if Rice could also contact Pakistani officials during her trip, McCormack said: “I don’t have anything to announce at this point on that.”
High-level sources told PTI that Menon’s visit will cover the gamut of the bilateral relations but Mumbai terror attacks will give further significance to the talks. Besides Burns, Menon is expected to meet representatives in President-elect Barack Obama’s team as also with senators and members of the House of Representatives.