Obama tried to contact me: Manmohan Singh

On board PM's aircraft, Nov 10 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today denied media reports that US President-elect Barack Obama did not make telephonic conversation with him as Mr Obama had done with several other heads of countries.

''Infact Mr Obama tried to contact me last Saturday but as I was travelling to Gulf countries, he could not establish contact,'' he told reporters on board special aircraft during his return from three-day visist to Gulf countries.

The Prime Minister said that reports that Mr Obama did not contact him were not true.

''Mr Obama wanted to talk to me,'' Dr Singh said.

As the Prime Minister was flying to Oman and Qatar, and the time was too short, the contact could not be established between each other.

Dr Singh said even before Mr Obama was elected, he had got a warm letter from him and he had also responded.

The Prime Minister had also send the message of condolence when his grandmother died recently.

Dr Singh emphatically said that India's relations with the US would become stronger than before under Mr Obama.

UNI PMD MP VP0102