The US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton, arrived in Kolkata today in the first leg of her three-day visit to the country.

During her two-day stay in the city, she will meet the West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, among other engagements.

Ms Clinton, who had earlier been to the city after Mother Teresa’s death in 1997 as the First Lady of the United States of America, was received by senior state government officials and US Ambassador to India Ms Nancy Powell.

Ms Clinton arrived here from Bangladesh.

Ms Clinton would leave for Delhi after meeting the Chief Minister at the state secretariat, Writers Buildings.

Unprecendented security arrangements have been made along the routes she would take and at places she would visit.

A large number of policemen were deployed and restrictions imposed on roads leading to the hotel, where she would stay, from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.

Civil nuclear co-operation, regional security and Iran are among the key issues that the US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton, is expected to discuss with the External Affairs Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, during their meeting here on Tuesday.

During her stay in the national Capital, she is expected to call on the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, apart from holding talks with Mr Krishna, during which they will also review progress made in their countries’ strategic partnership ahead of the India-US strategic dialogue to be held in Washington on June 13.

The meeting between Ms Clinton and Indian leaders gains significance as it comes immediately after her high—level talks in China and ahead of the crucial NATO summit in Chicago, where some important decisions are expected to be made on Afghanistan.

“The entire gamut of bilateral relationship apart from all those issues which impinge on the Indo-US partnership will be discussed,” an official source said here.

Both sides will discuss civil nuclear cooperation and regional security situation with New Delhi expected to brief the US Secretary on its proposed regional investors’ meet here to discuss economic development of Afghanistan, sources said.

Though admitting that the US and India were not on the same page on Iran, they said both sides are expected to discuss the issue and put forth each other’s positions.

The US, which has imposed sanctions against Tehran, has been asking India to restrict its import of crude oil from Iran but New Delhi has been maintaining that it only accepts sanctions which are made by the United Nations and not unilateral sanctions.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW