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US army chief meets Fernandes

General Shinseki with Indian Union Minister for Defence George Fernandes at his office in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal

New Delhi, February 3
The US army chief, Gen Eric K. Shinseki, today held wide-ranging talks with Defence Minister George Fernandes and the service chiefs on the prevailing situation on the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) and issues relating to infiltration from the Pakistani side.

General Shinseki and Mr Fernandes held a meeting in South Block for 45 minutes during which the regional situation was discussed, besides defence cooperation between the two countries.

The U S General was in the morning briefed about the continuing infiltration and unprovoked firing on the borders by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen N.C. Vij.

He was informed of India’s concern that infiltration would increase even more once the snow melted and the mountain passes became more easy to traverse, official sources said.

General Shinseki, who is on a day’s visit to India en route to the Phillipines, also held talks with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff, Adm Madhvendra Singh, and the Vice-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal M. McMahon. UNI