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Vajpayee to meet Bush on September 12

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to meet the US President George W Bush on September 12 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, but there is no 'likelihood' of his meeting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Indian ambassador to the US, Lalit Mansingh, said.

"I don't think there is any likelihood of a bilateral meeting with President Musharraf," he said.

Besides Bush, Vajpayee will meet several other heads of state and governments during his five-day stay in New York starting September 10.

Along with other special invitees, the prime minister will light a candle at a memorial for the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He is also expected to meet a number of relatives of those who died when the World Trade Centre collapsed.

Around 220 people of Indian origin, including 17 to 20 Indian passport-holders, died in the terrorist strikes, Mansingh said.

As he did on earlier visits to the US, Vajpayee will meet leaders of the Jewish-American community in his hotel suite at their request.

On September 13, he will address the General Assembly. During his stay in New York, Vajpayee will meet representatives of GOPIO (Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin) and AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin).

Mansingh said he would also host a reception in the prime minister's honour to enable him to meet members of the Indian community. On September 14, Vajpayee is expected to meet senators and congressmen of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Community functions, organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and a number of Indian organisations in the area, will be held that evening.

The focus of the BVB function will be the messages of Swami Vivekananda. Vajpayee will release a book on the occasion, Mansingh said.

On September 15, the prime minister will hold more bilateral meetings and probably address a press conference before he leaves New York.

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