M A I N   N E W S

Mishra briefs Vajpayee on talks with Bush

Manali (HP), May 16
National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra today briefed Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the talks he had with US President George W. Bush and other US leaders during his recent visit to Washington in the backdrop of Indo-Pak peace overtures.

During the hour-long meeting with Mr Vajpayee, who is on a sojourn here, Mr Mishra also apprised him on the talks he had with British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Foreign Policy Advisor David Manning in London.

While on his way to Washington, Mr Mishra had a stop-over in London to have a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage ahead of the latter’s visit to India and Pakistan.

Mr Bush praised Mr Vajpayee’s initiatives and noted the deepening of friendship between India and the USA.

Mr Mishra, who had also held talks with Secretary of State Colin Powell, renewed invitation to Mr Bush to visit India. Mr Bush had told him that he was keen to visit India but could not say when it could take place.

The Prime Minister along with his family members is on a five-day vacation here and would be leaving for New Delhi on May 18.

According to information among other things, Mr Vajpayee and Mr Mishra discussed the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit to Germany, Russia and France. As per the tentative schedule, the PM will leave for Berlin on May 27 for a bilateral visit. From Berlin, he will go to St Petersburg to attend the 300th anniversary of the foundation of this historic city. And from St Petersburg, he will leave for Evion(France) to attend the G-8 meeting and will return to India on June 3.

Earlier, Mr Mishra could not meet the Prime Minister as after the tour of these countries he had reached the capital on May 12 night. Prime Minister along with family members had left New Delhi for vacation on May 13 morning.

The media adviser of Mr Mishra, Mr Ashok Tandon, while talking to mediapersons here, said that the Prime Minister also talked to the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission regarding the demands raised by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in a charter given to him. Mr Vajpayee also met a local sculptor Prashant Sharma in the morning. He appreciated the works of Sharma. PTI, UNI, OC