Tuesday, April 12 2005 08:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh's visit to the United States will give a new opportunity to take the Indo-US relationship into a new phase, a State Department official said in Washington.

"He (Singh) and the Secretary (of State Condoleezza Rice) agreed when she was in New Delhi that we had an opportunity now to move forward in the US-India relationship, that we were all going to do everything possible to move into a new phase and that we wanted to do that through frequent and productive contacts," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

Singh is scheduled to arrive in Washington this evening (Apr 12, 2005) for a meeting with Rice and members of the US Congress.

The Minister is likely to meet President George W Bush, official sources said.

On Indo-Pak ties, he said the US welcomed the progress both the countries have made in improving their relationship. "We are glad to see the things that have happened and we look forward to more," Boucher said.

Observing that both, India and Pakistan, seemed quite committed to continue to move forward in their own relationship, he said, "We think that is good for the region, it is good for the people of India, good for the people of Pakistan and good for those, like us, who wish them both well."

Singh will leave for India on Thursday (Apr 14, 2005) evening and would be in New Delhi in time when Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf reaches there for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and to watch the Indo-Pak one-day cricket match.