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Obama calls up Manmohan

NEW DELHI: U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday called up Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and described the India-U.S. strategic relationship as “very important.” Expressing his desire to visit India as soon as possible, Mr. Obama, according to official sources here, assured Dr. Singh that the new set-up in Washington would work together with New Delhi on all important issues.

The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Obama warmly and described his victory as a “source of inspiration for oppressed people all over the world.” Dr. Singh noted that India’s relations with the U.S. were very good but “we could not be satisfied with the status quo.” He conveyed his best wishes for the success of the new administration in meeting the enormous challenges facing the world and invited the President-elect and his wife to visit India where a warm welcome awaited them.

Mr. Obama’s call ends a brief chapter of unease for the Foreign Office here as he spoke to nine world leaders immediately after winning the Presidential polls but Dr. Singh was not among them. Later, while the Prime Minister was away visiting Gulf countries, Mr. Obama called up more world leaders including Pakistan President Asif Zardari.

Amid speculation that Mr. Obama was ignoring India, the Prime Minister sought to set the record straight while speaking to newspersons on his way back from Oman and Qatar late on Monday night. Dr. Singh said he had not prepared himself when Mr. Obama’s side had suggested that a call be put through on Saturday.

After that, contact could not be established because he had been travelling.