Thursday, May 26 2005 14:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Appreciating Indian Government's work in the aftermath of tsunami tragedy, UN Special Envoy for tsunami relief and former US President Bill Clinton today (May 26, 2005) discussed with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and senior officers means to improve and hasten rehabilitation efforts.

Patil had a half-hour meeting with Clinton at a hotel in New Delhi where the former US President is staying. Home Secretary V K Duggal and other senior officials of the Ministry were also present.

Duggal and other officials briefed Clinton on the post-tsunami relief and rehabilitation efforts for nearly an hour after Patil's departure.

"What we were able to talk about here is what we can do to do a better job (on rehabilitation) more quickly," Clinton told reporters later.

He said money had already been committed by the international community and the Indian Government "has been very good working with us (the UN, but) everyone knows this is the most difficult period (for rehabilitation work)".

The former US President, on his third visit to India, said the Government had done a "great job in the aftermath of the tsunami. There was no outbreak of disease, no starvation and you had nobody dying of contaminated water. Within a year or so, we had great long-term rehabilitation projects".

Clinton said he was "eager" to meet tsunami-affected people when he tours Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu tomorrow (May 27, 2005).

"I am eager to go to the sites tomorrow, talk to people to know their ideas how to involve local people in populations that are often left out (on the basis of) class, gender, etc," Clinton said.

He said the devastated economy in tsunami-hit areas had to be brought back on the rails. "But it is easy to talk, hard to do anywhere in the world," he added.

Clinton later called on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence in New Delhi. Party sources described it as a "courtesy call".

The former US President will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi before leaving for Tamil Nadu.

He will later travel to Sri Lanka, which was also badly affected when the giant waves struck on December 26 last year.