 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Special Envoy on Afghanistan and Pakistan S K Lambah met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and discussed a range of issues related to the bilateral ties, including plans for continuing the US-India Strategic Dialogue.
"Secretary Clinton and Special Representative Lambah discussed a range of issues related to US-India relations, including plans for continuing the US-India Strategic Dialogue," a State Department spokesman said, a day after the two leaders met at the Foggy Bottom headquarters in Washington.
Lambah expressed his appreciation for the State Department's role in supporting India visit of President Barack Obama last month.
"The Secretary welcomed India's cooperation towards reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, including scholarships for Afghan students and agriculture assistance," the official said.
Lambah, who arrived in Washington on Sunday left for India on Wednesday after holding a series of meetings with top officials of the Obama Administration, members of the Congress and think-tank.
Prominent among those he met were National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. Lambah's second trip to Washington in less than six months, the last one being in August, is part of the decision taken by Prime Minister Singh and President Obama to hold regular consultations on Afghanistan.
Afghanistan was a major issue of discussions when Obama visited India last month, which was easily reflected in the joint communiqué issued by the two leaders at the end of the trip on November 8.
"The two sides committed to intensify consultation, cooperation and coordination to promote a stable, democratic, prosperous, and independent Afghanistan. President Obama appreciated India's enormous contribution to Afghanistan's development and welcomed enhanced Indian assistance that will help Afghanistan achieve self-sufficiency," the joint communiqué said.
"In addition to their own independent assistance programmes in Afghanistan, the two sides resolved to pursue joint development projects with the Afghan government in capacity building, agriculture and women's empowerment," it said.
The two leaders in the joint communiqué reiterated that success in Afghanistan and regional and global security require elimination of safe havens and infrastructure for terrorism and violent extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Obama Administration has openly praised India's role in development of Afghanistan, post-Taliban. Since 2001, India has contributed more than US $ 1.3 billion in development aid and has undertaken numerous infrastructure projects, including roads, dams, power stations and the Afghan Parliament building in Kabul.