145;Region needs defence shield after Korean test146;

Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

In an exclusive interview to The Indian Express, Admiral Fallon said, 8220;We discussed the negative aspects of the nuclear test, and the potential on the political side for trouble in the region. China has been a pretty consistent supporter of North Korea, providing extensive economic aid. But now with this very destabilizing event with the nuclear weapon, it seems to me that China has a new concern.8221;

The US Pacific Command PACOM, whose area of responsibility stretches from Hawaii to the Malacca Strait, will shortly begin hosting an Indian officer on deputation at its headquarters as part of the Indo-US working-level military exchange programme.

Though the parallel Indo-US dialogue on missile defence has made no headway in almost two years, Admiral Fallon also briefed the three chiefs on the US military8217;s new defensive capabilities in the Pacific region in anticipation of a scenario where North Korea starts mounting a nuclear device on a long-range missile. A Pentagon team was here in July to move forward talks on integrated missile defence.

8220;Because of this emerging threat and the capabilities that the DPRK has and is trying to test 8212; and the very offensive rhetoric that8217;s coming out of Iran 8212; we have been proceeding with speed to try and develop a defensive missile capability. We have an interim capability deployed now in the Pacific to both detect potential missiles coming out of North Korea, and to actually defend against them,8221; Admiral Fallon said. 8220;The implications for trouble with North Korea8217;s possession of some kind of a nuclear device, and the threat that this might pose to Japan, is a concern for all of us, so we need to work together with all the countries in the region, and try to get DPRK back to the table.8221;

The most immediate area of overlap between India and the US, Admiral Fallon admitted, was concern over Beijing8217;s military build-up 8212; the Admiral recently oversaw the first joint-exercise with the PLA Navy off the California coast, though the US Quadrennial Defence Review still counts China as a country with the greatest potential to compete against the US and field 8220;disruptive military technologies8221; in the region.

The PACOM is largely focused on keeping tabs on China8217;s strategic modernisation programme. 8220;There are laws on record in the US, which prohibit me from engaging in extensive activity with China. So what we want to see is reciprocal action from the PLA. We8217;re getting a lot of this, but we want to see more. We8217;re not ready for any kind of multilateral exercises. We are still at a very basic level,8221; he said.

Admiral Fallon, who leaves for Jammu tomorrow, will also visit Kolkata before leaving on Wednesday.

CIA team, Menon talk terror

NEW DELHI: CIA8217;s Deputy Director Intelligence Karmen Medina and National Intelligence Council8217;s South Asia in-charge Nancy Powell on Monday met Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon for about an hour. They are believed to have discussed the contours of fighting terror together.

According to sources, New Delhi presented the evidence it had gathered about Mumbai serial blasts and especially the role of Pakistan to the top CIA team. Mumbai Police has said 11 Pakistani nationals were involved in the blasts, which were masterminded by the ISI.

It is also learnt that the CIA team had earlier met the heads of the various intelligence agencies.