Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in US, discuss bilateral, regional issues

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale is visiting Washington D.C from March 11 in connection with the bilateral Foreign Office Consultation and Strategic Security Dialogue with the United States.

During his three-day visit, the Foreign Secretary will meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Department of State on Monday morning (local time) and discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest.

In Washington D.C, Gokhale would also hold Foreign Office Consultation with his US counterpart, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and the Strategic Security Dialogue with the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Andrea Thompson.

"These are regular high-level dialogue mechanisms to review bilateral relations, exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments and coordinate respective positions on issues of common interest," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Gokhale is also slated to meet with senior leaders in the US administration and the US Congress.

The Foreign Secretary's meet with his American counterparts comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of over 40 CRPF personnel.

Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack, following which there has been intense global pressure on Pakistan to quash all terror infrastructure on its soil.

In fact, showing its solidarity with India, the United States had bluntly told Pakistan to stop providing support and safe haven to terror groups and terrorists in the immediate aftermath of the terror attack.

No country has officially offered to mediate between the two countries, according to Ravish Kumar. However, US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States has been "involved and trying to help them (India and Pakistan) stop."

Making its stand very clear, India has sought credible, verifiable and sustained action from the Pakistani side against terror groups while saying that mere words will not be enough to appease the international community.