Rice broaches Dhaka security with Natwar

Given the deterioration in the security situation in Bangladesh, the officials added, there is a case for both countries to close ranks as India too has been concerned by the developments there. Moreover, the postponement of the SAARC summit was also attributed to security reasons.

On Nepal, Rice and External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh today called for early restoration of democracy. ‘‘Democratic freedoms must be restored and reconciliation with political parties must lead to resturn to multi-party democracy in Nepal,’’ Singh said at a joint media interaction with Rice.

The US Secretary of State was in complete agreement with Singh and went on to add: ‘‘As the Foreign Minister said…about the challenge in Nepal where we have outstanding cooperation between our ambassadors, to try and help that country to get back on a democratic path. That must happen and we are in complete agreement that it needs to happen very, very soon.’’ Indian envoy in Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, was also here today for consultations. He has been in touch with the US Ambassador in Nepal, who met King Gyanendra on Monday. The Indian envoy is yet to receive an audience after his last meeting on February 9.

India and the US exchanged notes on Afghanistan while the External Affairs Minister also underlined India’s willingness to help in the economic reconstruction of Iraq. ‘‘I informed the Secretary of State that India would be prepared to contribute to the economic reconstruction in Iraq. We will await any requests from the newly elected government and judge them on merit,’’ he said. India also apprised the US of the development in the dialogue with Pakistan.