President Barack Obama has assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the US-China joint statement issued on his visit to Beijing earlier this month was not an endorsement of Chinese mediation in the India-Pakistan dispute.

The PM said Obama told him that the intention of that statement was not to support any “third-party intervention in issues in South Asia.” Manmohan said he was “very satisfied” with Obama’s assurance on an issue that caused much heartburn in New Delhi. India opposes third-party mediation in the dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir.

In his meeting with the President at the White House on Tuesday, Manmohan raised New Delhi’s concerns over China’s recent “assertiveness” over the border dispute with India. He told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that he did not seek any help from the US on this dispute, and expressed confidence that “through purposeful negotiations between our two countries (India and China) we can resolve all outstanding issues.”

Manmohan told Obama that India welcomes the “peaceful rise” of China and was in favour of the rest of the world engaging with the Asian power. “We also are engaged with China. For the last five years, we have been discussing the border problem, meanwhile, our economic relations have grown.... China is one of our major trading partners,” he pointed out.

On Iran, the PM said India and the Islamic republic share a good relationship. In his meetings with his American interlocutors, he said he mentioned the fact that Iran’s Foreign Minister, on a recent visit to New Delhi, had called on him and expressed optimism over “good messages” from the Obama administration.

On Afghanistan, the PM said Obama told him that the US “highly values” India's role in reconstruction and development of the war-ravaged country. Manmohan, who met several Republican Democratic as well as Republican lawmakers while in Washington, said there was bipartisan support for India’s role in Afghanistan. This role is viewed with suspicion by Pakistan.

The PM described as “minor problems” the sticking points in the discussions on reprocessing dedicated facilities needed for the implementation of the civilian nuclear deal. He said these were “not insurmountable barriers” and reiterated that the US and India were committed to the early and full implementation of the nuclear deal. This, he said, will pave the way for transfers of high-technology items from the US to India.

The PM welcomed Obama’s commitment to ensuring a “comprehensive and balanced” outcome at the climate change conference in Copenhagen next month.

Manmohan said he was wrapping up his visit to Washington with “a sense of confidence that” it had “deepened mutual understanding between India and the United States, and set new directions for our strategic partnership in a way that will advance our national interests.”

He said that based on his discussions in Washington he was confident that the US and India can not only continue but also strengthen the momentum of our relations built up in the last few years. The PM said he looked forward to welcoming the Obamas to India in 2010. “President Obama recognised the important role India-US relations can play in meeting the global challenges of the 21st century,” he said, adding both leaders agreed that this was a “historic opportunity” for India and the United States to work together for world peace and stability.