India
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Press Release from Ministry of External Affairs
New Delhi, India
September 16, 2001
The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a ten-minute telephone conversation
with the President of the United States, Mr. George W. Bush this evening. It
may be recalled that the Prime Minister had expressed a desire to talk to the
U.S. President in order to express his condolences and sympathy in the aftermath
of the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. The U.S. President
called the Prime Minister from Camp David at around 9.10 p.m. He expressed his
very strong appreciation for the significant statement of support conveyed by
the Government of India after the tragedy. He said that very good relations
exist between the two governments and peoples.
The Prime Minister said that the Government and people of India share the pain
and anger of the American people, and that India would extend its fullest cooperation
in bringing the terrorists to justice. He agreed with the American President
that terrorism was a global problem, stating in this context that terrorism
could not be attributed to any religion. The Prime Minister referred especially
to the reports of attacks (including one fatality) on members of the Sikh community
in the United States. The U.S. President readily responded to state that such
attacks should be prevented from happening. He stated that he fully believed
that the fight against terrorism was not against any one nationality, group
or people.
Both leaders agreed that dialogue between their two countries would keep each
side informed about terrorist organizations operating all over the world. In
this context, the Prime Minister said that he would be deputing his National
Security Adviser, Shri Brajesh Mishra to the United States for discussions with
the U.S. Government. The President responded to state that the U.S. National
Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice would be informed about this, and that she
would hold discussions with Shri Mishra when he arrived in Washington.