Pompeo postpones ‘two-plus-two dialogue’ with Sushma Swaraj again, cites unavoidable reasons
Giving the name of ‘unavoidable reasons’ the United States of America had conveyed to India that it had postponed the ‘2+2 dialogue’ between the two nations, scheduled for next week. Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Union Defence Minister Sushma Swaraj were supposed to take part in the meeting along with their counterparts on July 6.
Official statement from MEA have confirmed that US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis and the Indian ministers will not meet next week. Informing about the cancellation of the meeting, Indian MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, “US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo spoke to EAM Sushma Swaraj a short while ago to express his regret and deep disappointment at the US having to postpone the ‘2+2 Dialogue’ for unavoidable reasons.”
US @SecPompeo spoke to EAM @SushmaSwaraj a short while ago to express his regret and deep disappointment at the US having to postpone the 2+2 Dialogue for unavoidable reasons. 1/2
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 27, 2018
US @SecPompeo sought EAM @SushmaSwaraj understanding, and they agreed to identify new mutually convenient dates to hold the Dialogue at the earliest, in India or the US. 2/2
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 27, 2018
Adding another tweet, he wrote, “US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo sought EAM Sushma Swaraj understanding, and they agreed to identify new mutually convenient dates to hold the Dialogue at the earliest, in India or the US.” According the information, both the sides had agreed for a dialogue during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in Washington in June last year. Though both the countries tried to meet several times for a dialogue but did not take place.
Seen as a to elevate the strategic relationship between two allies, the meeting was expected to focus on strengthening strategic, security, and defence cooperation.