Bush's military advisor to visit India

NEW DELHI: Amid wrinkles arising from India''s no to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Richard B Myers is visiting New Delhi in July end.
The visit assumes significance as the Bush administration is leaving no stones unturned in persuading India to reconsider its decision of not sending troops to the war-torn country.The administration has been particularly eager to enlist the Indian troops, because its presence is widely seen as a bellwether for numerous other developing countries.
However, both Indian and American officials said there was no pressure tactics from Washington on the troops issue. Gen Myers'' visit is part of the move to improve Indo-US security-related ties and solid military partnership towards achieving the common goal of defeating terrorism, they said.
Indo-US defence cooperation leads the way in the continuing transformation of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the US officials said, adding with Gen Myers'' visit to India the US will get another opportunity to exchange views on security concerns and on taking up joint steps to tackle terrorism.
Gen Myers, who was in India in February 2002, will be apprised of India''s security concerns vis a vis Pakistan and the growing threats from al-Qaeda in the region, defence ministry officials informed.
Asked whether the issue of troops to Iraq would figure during his talks here, the officials said, since Gen Myers serves as the principal military advisor to President George Bush, the Secretary of Defence, and the National Security Council there might be some discussions on the issue of India sending troops to the war-torn country.
Gen Myers is expected to call on Defence Minister George Fernandes, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad, and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh.