M A I N   N E W S

Committed to 123: Obama
Says won’t meddle in Indo-Pak affairs
Anita Katyal & Ashish K Sen write from Washington

Building on the special relationship forged between New Delhi and Washington by his predecessor, US president Barack Obama today reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the full implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement and also assured India that it had no intention to mediate in its dispute with Pakistan.

President Obama made these remarks at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following an hour-long meeting between the two leaders and their respective delegations at the White House this morning.

The US President, who invited the PM as his administration’s first state guest, also accepted an invitation to visit New Delhi next year, further signalling his intention to deepen and strengthen ties with India. Obama also described India and the US as “natural allies.”

The US President’s personal commitment on the implementation of the nuclear deal came as a major relief for India as Obama was seen as a reluctant supporter of the N-pact given his strong views on nuclear non-proliferation. There were niggling doubts in the Indian camp on the Obama administration’s commitment to the deal as the ongoing negotiations between the two countries on finalising an enrichment and reprocessing technology agreement could not be concluded during this visit.

Reciprocating Obama’s sentiments on the nuclear deal, the PM maintained that both countries were committed to operationalising the nuclear agreement as early as possible. However, he admitted that the negotiations on the enrichment and reprocessing technology agreement were yet to be finalised as the “i’s were still be dotted and t’s yet to be crossed.”

President Obama and the PM talks covered a host of issues, ranging from global terrorism, security in the region and the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both the leaders spoke in warm terms about the deepening bonds between the two countries.

While Obama maintained that this relationship will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, the PM said “there was a meeting of minds on the future direction of our relations.”

Responding to a question at the joint press conference, Obama clarified that it was not the place of the US to resolve “historic conflicts” between India and Pakistan from the outside. There had been earlier reports that Obama administration was keen on mediating between India and Pakistan to settle the Kashmir imbroglio, which had unsettled India.

Elaborating further on his administration’s position on this sensitive issue, Obama said “We want to be encouraging of ways in which both India and Pakistan can feel secure, and focus on the

development of their own countries and their own people.” He hoped that “over time we will see further clarity and cooperation" between India and Pakistan. Referring to last year’s Mumbai terror attacks, Obama said the US and India can “stand together --- cooperating to prevent future attacks, and promote the development and prosperity that undermines violent extremism.”

While complimenting Pakistan for the military operations it has been conducting against the Taliban in Swat and Waziristan, Obama said Pakistan has “an enormously important role in securing the region” and could do this by ensuring that it shuts down “extremist organisations that often operate out of its territories.”

Obama admitted that there were times in the past when the US has been single-mindedly focused on building up Pakistan’s military at the cost of its democratic institutions.

He listed other transnational challenges —- developing clean energy partnerships, confronting climate change, stopping infectious disease, reducing hunger and working to end extreme poverty —- on which the US and India could work together.

Six MOUs were signed during the PM’s visit along with 2 memoranda-of-interest as well as several other initiatives and agreements. These pacts covered global security and

counterterrorism, education and development, health cooperation, economic trade, agriculture and green partnerships.

Weather plays spoilsport
Ashish Kumar Sen writes from Washington

Dark clouds and a cold, steady drizzle played spoiler on Tuesday as the Obama White House was forced to scrap plans for a lavish outdoor welcome for its first official guest and move proceedings into the ornate, but confined space of the East Room.

The shortage of space prompted the White House to turn away many Indian Americans from across the country whose plans included a visit to the White House to witness Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s historic visit.

The original arrival ceremony on the White House South Lawn was to include a 19-gun salute, review of troops and a musical troop in the review, followed by remarks by Obama and Singh. The truncated welcome, which included the 19-gun salute, was attended by captains of Indian industry including, Ratan Tata of Tata Motors, Sunil Mittal of Bharti Telecom, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon and Preetha Reddy of Apollo Hospitals.

The prime minister’s meeting with Obama overran the expected time as journalists packed into the East Room, one eye on the shut doors from which the leaders were to make an entrance and the other firmly on their watches as deadlines came and went. In the evening, the Obamas will host a state dinner for Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur. A massive white tent constructed on the White House lawns especially for the occasion, will ensure that the weather does not disrupt this lavish affair.