Tuesday, June 28 2005 10:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday (Jun 27, 2005) held talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice focussing on India's bid for permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC) and expansion of bilateral ties.

Speaking to reporters at the US India Business Council in Washington, Mukherjee said that during the 30-minute meeting, they discussed how to expand the cooperation between the two countries.

This was discussed at general terms and not in specific terms, he said.

India's desire for permanent seat in the Security Council also came up during the talks, said Mukherjee, who is on a nine-day official visit to the US at the invitation of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Rice explained the US position on the Security Council expansion issue but not in country-specific terms.

She explained the US scheme of reform for the UN.

The US had expressed readiness to support Japan and "one developing country", without naming any. The criteria for choosing the country was contribution to UN, democratic and human rights credentials and role in UN peacekeeping missions among other things.

Diplomatic sources said the meeting between Mukherjee and Rice was held in an "extremely warm and cordial atmosphere".

Mukherjee said he would be discussing bilateral cooperation in defence hardware and technology transfer when he meets Rumsfeld later.

The Defence Minister also said India is emphasising on Defence cooperation so that there will be a vested interest on both sides for the best type of technology.

Asked about the fact that New Delhi depends on Russia for most of its defence requirements, he said India has not moved away from Russia or any other country.

"Friendship with one country does not mean non-friendship with another," he said.

The visit of Mukherjee, accompanied by Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh and senior ministry officials, comes ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to Washington next month.

Ahead of their meeting, Rumsfeld said that the United States has excellent military relations with India.

"It has been developed over a period of 4 years in ways that, today, are multifaceted,'' he said, responding to a question at a Pentagon news conference.

"We have advanced continuously in the relationship, in terms of meetings and exercises and various other aspects of it,'' he said. "And I feel very good about it and very positive about it.''

He did not address a reporter's question about the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. India has expressed disappointment about the sale.