US envoy Powell meets Modi ends 9-yr US boycott
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- Category: Gujarat Political News
- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 20:54
US Ambassador Nancy Powell lauded Narendra Modi's model of governance, ends 9-yr US boycott :
Gandhinagar: US Ambassador Nancy Powell held discussions with BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday, signalling a thaw in Washington's 9-year-old boycott of him over the Gujarat riots. Reports claimed that Powell praised the 'good model' of governance in the state and said that it could be replicated in other parts of the world.
Earlier, Modi greeted Powell with flowers and a hand shake when she arrived at Chief Minister's residence here for the meeting. Modi also welcomed other members of the US delegation.
It is the first high profile meeting between Modi and a US official since the US State Department revoked his visa in 2005 on grounds of “severe violations of religious freedom” in Gujarat.
The US Embassy said Nancy Powell's meeting with Narendra Modi was part of US Mission's outreach to senior leaders of Indian politics.
“Her discussions focus on importance of US-India relations,regional security,human rights,American trade&investment,” the Embassy said.
Powell "has shared and listened to views on the US-India relationship" and she "continues to emphasize that the partnership is important and strategic, and that the United States looks forward to working closely with the government that the Indian people choose in the upcoming elections", the statement added. 'Zee News'
While the agenda of the meeting was kept under wraps, the U.S. has said it is part of increased engagement with Indian leaders across the political spectrum.
Ms. Powell travelled to the city for the first time in the last 13 years to meet Mr. Modi, who greeted the delegation with flowers at his residence in Gandhinagar.
The U.S. had scotched speculation that the Modi-Powell meeting would lead to lifting of the visa ban on the BJP leader, insisting there was no change in its policy.
A consular level officer of the U.S. consulate in Mumbai had met Mr. Modi after his visa was revoked, but later as his stature grew in Indian politics, the Chief Minister had stopped giving time to junior officers.
Ms. Powell will also meet the Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly Shankrsinh Vaghela, at his residence in Gandhinagar after her talks with Mr. Modi.
She is also scheduled to visit an outlet of the NGO Seva and the Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay Petroleum University later in the day.
Washington has made it clear that it was not taking any position on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Reiterating that the U.S. does not take positions in elections of any country, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki argued that Ms. Powell meeting Mr. Modi is not an example of the U.S. taking a position.
“We don’t take positions. So no, it wouldn’t be a reflection of that. It is just a reflection, as I’ve stated a few times, of us reaching out to a range of individuals from different backgrounds, different political affiliations, which we do in countries around the world,” she had said.
Source: The Hindu