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CNN Live Event/Special

Colin Powell Speaks After Meeting Indian Prime Minister of External Affairs

Aired September 09, 2002 - 13:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to take you live just outside the State Department, where Powell just met with Indian prime minister of external affairs. Let's listen in to see what they have to say.
COLIN POWELL, SECY. OF STATE: because it has been so expanded in the sense that we don't just talk about an immediate problem, but we talk about the elements in our relationship that our two peoples are looking for us to talk about; economics, trade, research and development, cooperation in a variety of different areas.

POWELL: And we are looking forward to President Bush meeting with Prime Minister Vajpayee later this week to pursue these issues, as well as topical regional issues.

So, my colleague, it's a great pleasure to have you here today, and I invite you to say a word, too.

JASWANT SINGH, INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, friends.

As has been already pointed out to you by the secretary of state, we had a very fruitful meeting. I am very glad that we had this meeting in the State Department. We covered a wide variety of areas in our bilateral relationship. And I am particularly happy in my meetings with Secretary Colin Powell both in Delhi and here, we have laid a great deal of emphasis on furthering our bilateral cooperation in various areas, and today's meeting was particularly fruitful.

We have also agreed on what could be the substance of discussions between the prime minister and the president.

SINGH: And I'm quite sure that the agenda that we have agreed upon will give a further push to our bilateral relationship in all the areas which the secretary of state mentioned just now.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

Do you see India on the United Nations permanent security seat that India is seeking on the United Nations permanent seat in the United Nations?

POWELL: Well, we didn't discuss that today. And as you know, we keep an open mind as to how the U.N. might be reorganized, and there are a number of proposals that have been out there for years, but I don't think it was a subject for the present moment. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, have you had a chance on a busy day to analyze Arafat's speech? There's no reference to suicide bombing, but he does criticize attacks.

POWELL: I haven't had a chance to analyze it and I will do so in the course of the afternoon, and I know he condemned violence but I really don't think I want to get into the specifics simply because I've been tied up all day so far and haven't had a chance to study the speech.

QUESTION: Sir, have you had a chance to talk about, you know, cross-border terrorism and what kind of message Mr. Singh brought with him, as far as India's perceptions as it stands today?

POWELL: Yes. We discussed the situation across the border. I reaffirmed to the minister that we would continue to press the Pakistani government to do everything possible to stop the cross- border infiltration and remind them of the commitment they have made not only to the United States, but to the international community that they would not support such activity and would work actively to stop it.

And we also talked about the upcoming elections. And I reaffirmed to the minister that we have spoken to the Pakistanis about not interfering in any way with those elections, which we expect will be free and fair, and there will be an opportunity for people to see that the elections are being held in an open, free and fair manner.

You might wish to add a word.

SINGH: Well, I'm absolutely totally satisfied with the discussion that we had and what Secretary Colin Powell has said just now.

POWELL: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Secretary of State Colin Powell and also Indian minister of external affairs, Jaswant Singh, talking about U.S.-India relations outside the State Department.

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