Manmohan leaves for US, N-deal on agenda

New Delhi, Sep 21: Dr Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India is leaving on a ten-day visit to the United States and France on Monday, Sep 22 morning. He will address the UN General Assembly on Sep 26. Sources said that the PM will take up the expansion and reforms in the UN Security Council so that the world body reflects the current global realities.

Global food crisis, combating terrorism, promoting disarmament, climate change and the problems in US financial market and its impact globally are the other issues which he will discuss with world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Manmohan Singh is scheduled to make a speech on the Millennium Development Goals on September 25. Following an invitation from US President George W Bush, the same day he will arrive in the Washington DC from New York to meet him in the White House Oval Office. The Prime Minister will return to New York the same night.

During their meeting, the two leaders may sign the Indo-US nuclear deal if the US Congress approves the agreement by then. The Bush Administration is pushing hard to wrap up the landmark deal before the Congress ends its current session on September 26.

Manmohan Singh will also meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboduring his stay in New York. Cross border terrorism and violations of cease-fire on the Line of Control(LoC) by Pakistani forces will be high on the agenda with Zardari.

Prime Minister will leave for France on Sep 27 to attend the Indo-European Summit at Marseilles on September 29 and hold a meeting with the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. India and France are working towards signing a framework agreement to start nuclear commerce between the two countries. The agreement is likely to be signed in Dr Singh's presence on September 30.

The India-European Summit will discuss the issue and revised joint action plan adopted in 2006 to strengthen the partnership. The Summit will also deliberate on a joint working programme on energy and climate change.

OneIndia News