YSR a strong supporter of India-US friendship: Envoy

October 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who was on a two day visit to Afghanistan in the wake of recent bomb-attack on the Indian Embassy, on Saturday said the attack was aimed against the people of India and Afghanistan and their abiding friendship. Expressing her deep concern and revulsion over the barbaric and cowardly attack which killed so many innocent lives, Rao said: The attack was clearly the handiwork of those who are desperate to undermine Indo-Afghan friendship and do not believe in a strong, democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan." "The international community and indeed the people of Afghanistan face a clear and present danger from the perpetrators of such wanton acts of terrorism and their patrons residing across the border," the Foreign Secretary added.

October 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India Saturday condemned the "regrettable" move by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to name a special envoy for Kashmir, saying it has no locus standi in India's internal affairs. "It is regrettable that the OIC has commented on India's internal affairs.

October 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Taking a strong stand against the appointment of a special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir by the Organisation of Islamic Countries, a students' group has asked it "not to meddle in India's internal affairs". Non-Aligned Students and Youth Movement (NASYM) chairman Subhash Choudhury said: "Kashmir is a bilateral issue and would not welcome a third party intervention.

October 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan issued a commemorative postage stamp Thursday to mark the 60th anniversary of Communist China, and Beijing's envoy described Sino-Pakistani relations as "higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the Arabian sea and sweeter than honey". Federal Minister for Postal Services Nawabzada Mir Israr Ullah Khan Zehri and China's ambassador Luo Zhaohui unveiled the stamp issued by the Pakistan Post at its headquarters here.

September 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With India going slow on the tri-nation gas pipeline, Iranian ambassador to India Seyed Mehdi Nabizadeh Tuesday said China is interested in the proposed multi-billion project but left the door open for New Delhi to rejoin the peace pipeline. The Iranian envoy, however, remained quiet on whether Iran is holding talks with China over the tri-nation pipeline involving Iran, India and Pakistan.

September 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - United States Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer today offered condolences to India on the loss of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S R Reddy and the four other victims of a tragic September 2 helicopter accident.

August 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) envoy to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, has lauded the strong trade ties between the two countries, WAM news agency reported Monday. He said California alone had exported $1 billion worth of goods to UAE.

August 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Setting the tone for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official visit to Washington in November, US ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer Wednesday said the "most tangible results of the partnership" would be announced during the trip.

July 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Wednesday assured India that it has no plans to appoint a special envoy for Kashmir as it considers it to be a matter between New Delhi and Islamabad. "I can assure you that we are not going to appoint a special Kashmir envoy," Assistant Secretary for South Central Asian Affairs Robert O.

June 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States says it would support more dialogue between India and Pakistan but has ruled out the appointment of a special envoy to deal with Kashmir that Islamabad contends is the key issue with New Delhi. "No, there's - there are no plans to that effect," State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Tuesday when asked if there was any prospect of a special envoy to be appointed specifically for Kashmir.

June 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India has expressed disappointment over the release of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafeez Saeed to Pakistani envoy in New Delhi, Shahid Malik, who met Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon today. While assuring India on looking into the legal aspects of Saeed's release, the Pakistani envoy reportedly remained non-committal and has made no promises about the Pakistan Government filing a review petition challenging High Court order releasing the LeT chief.

May 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The new Indian Minister for External Affairs, S. M. Krishna, said here on Saturday that India was ready to extend its hand of friendship and partnership towards Pakistan, if it displayed a determined and credible action to eradicate the structure of terrorism prevailing in its territory.

March 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke is expected to visit India on April 7 to discuss how India could cooperate in US efforts to end terror threat in those two neighbouring countries. During his visit, Holbrooke will meet Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Advisor M.

March 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Kim Jong Il, the top leader of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has said it is the invariable will of DPRK to further consolidate and develop the friendship with China. Kim said cultural exchange plays an important role in boosting the precious DPRK-China friendship established by late President Kim Il Sung and leaders of the elder generation of China for a long period.

January 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD - Security has been stepped up for Pakistan's envoy to India, Shahid Malik, after he received a death threat, an official of the high commission said Sunday. The official, who declined to be identified by name, told IANS: 'The high commissioner received an anonymous letter warning him that he would be killed if did not leave India.' The official said the letter, which reportedly arrived at the mission about a week ago, referred to the alleged involvement of Pakistanis in the Mumbai terrorist attack in November that killed some 170 people.