US, India Hold High-Level Talks in Washington

Senior diplomats from the US and India met in Washington on Thursday as the two countries continued a year-old "institutional dialogue," the State Department said.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman, Washington's third-highest ranking and most senior career diplomat, hosted his Indian counterpart, Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer, for the talks, spokesman Richard Boucher said.

"The two delegations are discussing a wide variety of regional and bilateral issues, including regional security," he told reporters, without giving details.

The talks were also expected to include a discussion on the next steps in implementing the dialogue, as well as a preview of working group meetings on counterterrorism and peacekeeping set for next month, Boucher said.

Iyer's visit follows a visit by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to New Delhi last week during, which he discussed President George W Bush's proposals on global nuclear security issues.








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