Natwar for closer ties with US

By Our Economy Bureau | 27 May 2004

New Delhi: The new government will continue to engage with the US in a ''constructive'' manner to further strengthen bilateral ties in all areas and work together to eliminate the menace of terrorism, external affairs minister K Natwar Singh said after assuming charge.

"We will continue to engage our American friends in a constructive manner as the government would like to further strengthen, deepen and widen Indo-US relations in all areas," he said.

New Delhi has conveyed its desire to have the ''closest relations'' with the US when Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Singh soon after he assumed office.

With regard to his meeting with American ambassador David Mulford who called on him to deliver a letter from Powell, Singh said he had emphasised the importance of the two countries working together to combat terrorism."I told him it is in the interest of the US, India and the international community to underscore the cordiality and intensity of Indo-US relations," he said.

On Indo-Pak relations, Singh said he had conveyed India''s ''total commitment'' to take the peace process further ''without delay'' to Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri who telephoned him yesterday.