Terrorism high on Bush, PM's agenda

WASHINGTON: Terrorism will be high on the agenda when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets President George W Bush here on September 25, as the White House voiced distress at the recent terror attack in Delhi.
     
The two leaders are also expected to touch upon the world economy in the wake of the continuing meltdown in the US financial market at their meeting in the White House when Singh visits the US from September 23 to 27.
    
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino replied in the affirmative when asked by newsmen whether Bush will discuss the issue of terrorism with Singh especially in the wake of last Saturday's serial blasts.
    
"Absolutely", she said, adding, "... I know he (Bush) and the prime minister will talk about it when he's here".
    
"We were distressed to see the terrorist attacks against innocent civilians in India this weekend. We obviously stand with the Indians in trying to fight against terrorism and extremists, and we would help them in any way that we can to fight back against them," Perino said. The Delhi serial blasts had claimed 24 lives.
    
Singh will be in New York for five days and is due to address the the UN General Assembly meeting during his stay. He travels to Washington on September 25 for a meeting at the White House following an invitation from Bush.
    
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.
    
The senior White House official also said she believed that the latest developments on the global economy will be discussed at the UN with world leaders including the Indian Prime Minister.
    
"I think there is no doubt that the way our financial system works, that everything is much more globalised and dependent. Which is why Secretary Paulson has been talking with his counterparts so frequently in the past several months," Perino said.
    
"I'm sure that the economy is going to be a topic at the UNGA meeting, which is going to take place next week. It was a topic at the G-8 meeting, and the G-7 ministers continue to talk about it as well," Perino said.
    
The US State Department said a day after the blasts that Saturday's tragedy serves as a reminder that terrorism does not dEter, but unites those committed to peaceful and political means as the guarantor of a free, democratic and prosperous society.
   
"We stand with and are ready to assist tHE government and people of India in their ongoing fight to eliminate the scourge of terrorism, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack had said.