Thursday, June 30 2005 09:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address a joint session of the American Congress, the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans has announced.

Democratic Representative Gary Ackerman and Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, co-chairs of the Caucus, yesterday (Jun 29, 2005) said that pursuant to their request, the joint session will be convened on July 19.

"This address by the Prime Minister will not only signify and recognize the strong US-India relationship but it will further deepen ties between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy," Ackerman said.

"This goes a step further in cementing the already warm and productive relationship between India and the US," Ros-Lehtinen said, adding, "Our democracies are strong and vibrant and examples for peoples in all corners of the globe that suffer under dictatorships."

Earlier this month, Ackerman and Ros-Lehtinen had sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, urging him to call a joint session during Singh's first official visit to the United States as Prime Minister on July 18-20.

The letter requesting a joint session was co-signed by 53 Democrats and 17 Republicans. It is the Speaker along with the Majority Leader of the Senate who have the authority to call a joint session.

Both Ackerman and Ros-Lehtinen are also senior members of the House International Relations Committee.