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India, US discuss global security regime

''We are endeavouring to work out together a totally new security regime which is for the entire globe,'' External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters after an extended hour-long meeting with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, which was carried over a working lunch.

Emerging from the meeting with Singh, Armitage, the first high-ranking official of the Bush administration to visit India, said, ''It is the beginning of many consultations and it is the beginning of a new relationship between the US and India.''

Armitage added, ''This is something we highly value, high appreciate and work rigorously to pursue.''

The US official, who arrived in Delhi on Thursday night on a day-long visit, said he had presented Bush's thinking on a new strategic framework which contained many elements, including Washington's willingness to unilaterally reduce US nuclear arsenals below the levels of START-II.

The entire gamut of bilateral relations came up for review during parleys between Armitage and Singh.

Singh parried a query on whether the issue of lifting US sanctions against India, imposed in the aftermath of the Pokhran nuclear tests, figured during the parleys.

Armitage, who has served in the Pentagon as assistant secretary of defence, said, "I am honoured to have this opportunity to exchange views with the external affairs minister".

Singh said the two sides discussed the "entire range of issues" that had followed the initiative taken by Bush recently, "which we welcomed and continue to welcome".

Underscoring the importance of consultations between the two countries, Singh said, "I am glad I had an opportunity to exchange views at the meeting which, I am sure, is the first among many such meetings."

After the meeting stretched much beyond the scheduled 30 minutes, the two leaders had a working lunch, starting with chilled melon to beat the summer temperature.

The menu served at Hyderabad House included Jalpari Kabab, Murgh Rampuri, Pathari Gosht, Kathal Biryani, Chenna Rampuri followed by Kesar Rasmalai, mango ice-cream and fresh fruits for desert.

During his brief stay, Armitage will call on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and meet National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

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