World | Updated Mar 10, 2009 at 02:16pm IST

Menon meets Hillary, discusses 26/11

Press Trust Of India

Washington: Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, who is on a four-day visit to the US, met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.

In his first high-level meeting with the Obama Administration, Menon discussed with Hillary and other officials the progress in the probe into Mumbai attacks and the security situation in the region.

He also discussed the key bilateral and regional issues, including the current situation in Afghanistan, with Hillary.

Obama administration considers India as a key regional player in restoring lasting peace in Afghanistan.

"The meeting lasted for about half an hour. Among key issues discussed at the meeting included Sri Lanka, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism including Mumbai and Afghanistan," a State Department official told PTI.

Indian diplomats were not available for comments.

The official said news reports about the US army carrying out civilian rescue operation in Sri Lanka did not figure during the talks between Menon and Hillary.

During the course of the day, Menon also met Under Secretary for Political Affairs, William Burns and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.

The Foreign Secretary is scheduled to meet the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, and several key Congressional leaders.

Before the meeting, State Department spokesman Robert Wood appreciated the role played by Menon in Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

"Foreign Secretary Menon was a key player in terms of helping bring about or brokering the Indo-US nuclear accord," Wood told reporters at his daily press briefing.

The United States of America values its relationship with India, he said.

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