G-20 summit: Indian delegation meets US officials

{image-G-20 summit_14112008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Washington, Nov 14: Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and other Indian officials had bilateral meetings with their US counterparts, including senior White House aide Dan Price, on the eve of the G-20 global economic summit.

Dr Ahluwalia was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen when he met Mr Price, assistant to President George W Bush for international economic affairs. Mr Price had gone on record to say that tomorrow's Group of 20 summit on the economic crisis will mark the start of a long process, but still should yield 'concrete results' The next summit is likely to be called in the first quarter of 2009, after President-elect Barack Obama takes office. Separately, Secretary, DEA, Ashok Chawla participated in the meeting of the Finance Deputies involved in preparing the Summit outcome.

Dr Ahluwalia and Mr Sen also had a meeting with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Congressman Jim Leach, nominated by Mr Obama to meet with delegations at the G-20 Summit on his behalf.

There was an exchange of views on issues related to the current international economic and financial crisis, the Summit, and also bilateral relations, says a press note issued by the Indian Embassy here on Thursday, Nov 13.

It said that Secretary Albright, inter alia, conveyed to the Indian officials that the President-elect attached high priority to the further strengthening of relations between India and the US.

Mr Obama, who will take over as President in about two months, does not plan to attend the summit and, instead, authorized Ms Albright and Mr Leach to represent him. They will primarily be listeners at the meetings, according to Mr Obama's transition team.

The invitees will meet at White House dinner tonight. Besides the US, the countries that will participate in the summit are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey. Those countries and the European Union make up the G-20.

UNI