US REACHES OUT TO BJP’S RISING STAR MODI
Friday, 14 February 2014 | Nayan Dave | Ahmedabad
After nine years of its boycott of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the US finally reached out to him on Thursday. With opinion polls predicting Modi could lead the next Government at the Centre, the US Ambassador to India, Nancy Powell along with other senior American officials met the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate at his residence in Gandhingar on Thursday.
In a balancing exercise, the US also met Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly and the Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela. Though the US played down the visit of Powell by issuing a official statement saying that it was only a part of increased engagement with Indian leaders and it has nothing to do with denial of visa to Modi, the meeting of Modi with the US emissary has great significance in view of upcoming general elections in the country and increasing importance of the BJP’s most popular leader.
In the meeting at Modi’s residence over the breakfast Ambassador Powell held comprehensive and wide ranging discussions with Modi covering all facets of the Indo-US relationship and cooperation, in the wider global context. According to a Gujarat Government communiqué, she fondly recollected her earlier visits to Gujarat, and expressed happiness on having come again. The US envoy also impressed by the changes and development in Gujarat, said an official in the Gujarat Chief Minister’s office adding that Powell also appreciated the fact that American businesses were pleased with the speed of decision making, as well as clear procedures in place in Gujarat.
Powell expressed keenness to take best practices of governance from Gujarat to be incubated and implemented in developing countries for the benefit of people there. This included the Chiranjeevi Yojana, which has improved mother and child health through institutional delivery.
During the meeting Modi highlighted the strong foundations of the US-India ‘strategic partnership’ laid by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He also mentioned Vajpayee’s various initiatives for peace in India’s neighbourhood. He reiterated BJP’s commitment to further strengthen this partnership.
He expressed concern over the recent ill-treatment of an Indian diplomat in New York, and expressed hope that a permanent solution would be found soon. Ambassador Powell reassured that the US Government was fully committed to resolving this issue at the earliest possible. Modi emphasised that for strengthening the Indo-US ‘strategic partnership’ and realise its full potential, it is important that such irritants should not be allowed to happen.
Modi also focused on the need to have a single global yardstick on terrorism, as well as the need to isolate terrorist groups irrespective of their base or victims. He emphasised that the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attack must be quickly brought to justice. Besides, various other issues including defence, security, counter-terrorism, disaster management, student exchange and economic cooperation were discussed in detail. Meanwhile Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhvadia and former Gujarat Congress president Siddharth Patel also remained present.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/us-reaches-out-to-bjps-rising-star-modi.html
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