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| Obama phones PM | | | AGENCIES
NEW DELHI, Nov 12: The wait is over. US President-elect Barack Obama finally telephoned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday. The President-elect emphasised on the significance of Indo-US relations and expressed the intention of his administration to closely work with India on important global issues.
The interaction between the two leaders gains significance amid the reports that Obama is not planning to attend the G-20 summit in Washington, where he was assumed to meet the PM, who is scheduled to travel to Washington on November 15 for the meeting.
According to reports coming from the Prime Minister’s Office, Singh congratulated Obama on his historic victory and said his success would be an inspiration for the oppressed people all over the world. Albeit Singh described Indo-US ties as "very good", yet insisted on not to be “satisfied with the status quo".
The Prime Minister also invited Obama and his wife Mitchelle to visit India, the sources said.
Obama praised Singh's contribution to the progress of India as Finance Minister earlier and the Prime Minister now, the sources said.
Singh received Obama’s call at 8:30 AM today. Notably, Obama’s call came a day after Singh downplayed reports that the US President-elect ignored India while making telephone calls to leaders of various countries after his election to America's top office.
"No, this is not true... President Obama wanted to talk to me day before yesterday (Nov 8) (but) we could not establish contact because the time that was suggested was too short for me (to establish contact). Since then, I have been travelling... as soon as I go back (we will try to establish contact)," Singh said when asked if Obama had ignored New Delhi by not calling him.
Singh was talking to reporters late last night on way back to New Delhi from his maiden three-day visit to the energy rich Gulf region.
Obama had called 15 world leaders including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari after being elected US President.
As Singh did not get any call from Obama, there were suggestions that the next US President was ignoring India.
Singh said Obama had written to him a "very warm" letter even before he was elected President.
"I had myself written a warm letter to him," he said. Singh was hopeful that Indo-US ties under Obama will further be strengthened. |
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