Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon discussed bilateral relations, the India-United States nuclear deal and regional affairs in his talks with US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns in Washington, DC.
On his first visit to Washington after taking over as foreign secretary, Menon on Wednesday had a three-hour-long discussion with Burns, who is the key negotiator for the nuclear deal.
Following concerns in New Delhi over certain elements in the newly enacted US law on the deal, Menon was expected to present at the meeting India's proposals to be incorporated in the bilateral 123 Agreement [Section 123 of the United States Atomic Act of 1954 establishes an agreement for cooperation as a prerequisite for nuclear deals between the US and any other nation] that is under negotiation.
The senior officials of the two sides are said to have had a candid exchange of views on Pakistan, the status of the dialogue, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Beyond the subcontinent, Burns and Menon are also said to have discussed Iraq and Iran.
Details of the discussions would be available when the two senior officials come to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the evening and in the press conference the foreign secretary has scheduled at the Indian embassy on Friday.
Menon also met the Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky at the State Department and the Deputy Secretary of Defence for Policy Eric Edleman at the Pentagon.
Menon and his delegation will attend the meeting of the High Technology Cooperation Forum starting off with a bilateral with the Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez followed by a breakfast meeting with the US Co-Chair of the USTG, Deputy Secretary of Commerce David Sampson.
The foreign secretary and members of his delegation will continue the HTCG meetings on Friday that will include a session on Strategic Trade Issues and additional government-to-government meetings.
