PM accepts Bush invitation for meeting at Crawford Ranch

New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted the invitation from US President George Bush for a meeting at his Crawford Ranch, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said today.

However, dates have not been fixed yet, the spokesman said in response to a question.

''The Prime Minister has accepted the invitation. However, dates are yet to be fixed,'' a brief response by the Ministry said.

Newspaper reports had said yesterday that the Prime Minister had declined the invitation by President Bush to visit the Crawford Ranch later this month for talks.

The reports, quoting an unidentified US diplomat, said the Prime Minister was instead likely to meet the US President in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

The newspaper also quoted the US diplomat as saying that the US President's ''special affinity'' for the Prime Minister had set off the offer for a meeting at the Crawford Ranch.

UNI