No Obama-Singh meeting planned in New York: White House

Washington, Sept 17: No bilateral meeting is being scheduled so far between the US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York next week, a top White House official said.

However, there would be opportunities for the two leaders to meet at other international meetings later this year, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes told reporters at a White House news conference.

Obama, during his three day trip to New York beginning Monday would be meeting more than half a dozen world leaders, including those of Afghanistan, Libya, Brazil, Japan, Britain, France, Israel and Sudan, Rhodes said.

While the focus of his meetings and his remarks at the UN will be pressing global issues like Libya, Palestine, global economic issues, and the Middle East, the US President is expected to reiterate his position on the reforms of the UN Security Council and support India''s membership to it.

Rhodes said the US President would be noting that there are many aspirants to the UN Security Council members.

PTI