Mulford meets Prime Minister

New Delhi, Sep 4 (UNI) Amid the diplomatic and political storm generated by the disclosures on the Indo-US nuclear deal, US Ambassador to India David Mulford met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here this morning and sought to clarify Washington's stand.

Although officials were tight-lipped about what was discussed at the meeting, sources said Mr Mulford told the Prime Minister that no new conditions had been introduced.

Mr Mulford had said last night that the January 16, 2008, State Department letter to the late Representative Tom Lantos contained no new conditions and there was no data in this letter which had not already been shared in an open and transparent way with members of US Congress and the Government of India.

A senior US embassy official sought to play down the meeting between Mr Mulford and the Prime Minister saying the Ambassador did visit the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) but he has been generally keeping in touch with the PMO on the issue.

He did not confirm what was discussed at the meeting .

After the disclosures by the Washington Post yesterday kicked up a storm, Dr Manmohan Singh convened a meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan.

The developments take place as the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) prepares to meet barely a few hours from now to discuss a clean waiver to India for nuclear trade with the rest of the world.

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