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External Affairs Minister Mr. Salman Khurshid meets US Secretary of State Mr. John F. Kerry in Montreux

Montreux

January 22, 2014

On the sidelines of the Geneva II meeting on Syria being held in Montreux, External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid had a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. John Kerry, US Secretary of State, on22 January 2014.

The two Ministers reviewed recent developments in India-US relations. They agreed that the bilateral relationship was very important for both countries. Both sides looked forward to the early realization of the mutually-agreed calendar of bilateral exchanges, including the visit of US Energy Secretary Moniz for the India-US Energy Dialogue and the visit of the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Margaret Hamburg. Mention was also made of ongoing defence cooperation between India and the US.

In view of the recent episode involving the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York, External Affairs Minister and the Secretary of State recognized the need to put in place institutional arrangements to look at all outstanding issues relating to the privileges and immunities of diplomats of both countries so that such issues could be resolved in a timely manner. External Affairs Minister also underlined India's concern over trafficking visas issued to Indian nationals by the US Embassy in India.

The two Ministers agreed to remain in contact to follow up on the progress on these issues