Terror strikes peace talks, PM seeks 'toned down' expectations

PM emphasises in talks with Obama that Pakistan remained the 'epicentre of terror'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met US President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, and had conversation which was apparently dominated by security concerns rather than the economy, as was originally considered likely. The attack on an army camp and a police station in Jammu on Wednesday may not have altered Singh's determination to meet on Sunday with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but it certainly seems to have thrust security and terrorism-related issues above the troubled world economy and Indo-US economic co-operation on the agenda. 

The PM said later that he had explained to President Obama once again that the "epicentre of terror" remained in Pakistan. Obama himself thanked the PM for his "consistent interest" in peace with Pakistan - an important boost before Singh's meeting with Sharif, especially given continuing troubles with his Congress party back home. Singh however asked for "toned-down expectations" of his meeting with Sharif, given that terror arms "were still active" in India.

Obama said a "wide range" of security issues had been discussed, and noted that Singh was "very concerned" about Pakistan-based terror. He said, significantly, India and US wished to ensure "all groups" in Afghanistan benefited in the future, a hint that Pakistan's pro-Pashtun approach to that country was troubling the US.

Obama also said an agreement had "been achieved" between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Westinghouse.

In the afternoon, Singh left for New York, where he was scheduled to meet US CEOs and then speak at the UN General Assembly.

Earlier, the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Nirupama Rao, had stressed two little-known features of India's recent engagement with the US.

First, she said a pre-early works agreement between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Westinghouse is "very near closure". She said progress on the nuclear issue may have been slow, but it was steady. Other officials familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said such discussions can appear to be slow and then see a lot done in a short time - and the NPCIL-Westinghouse negotiations are among them.

Second, she said co-operation had grown in the tertiary education sector between India and the United States. In particular, it appears that India's continued effort towards skilling its rapidly-increasing population of working or near-working age will receive a boost, with the signing of an agreement between the American Association of Community Colleges and the All-India Council on Technical Education, or AICTE. It is expected that 200 community-college style institutions will emerge from this agreement. US community colleges provide two-year degrees that have a combination of standard academic disciplines and tightly-focused vocational courses.