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WASHINGTON: United States President Barack Obama said that he intends to "finish the job" in Afghanistan, promising to unveil a decision shortly on whether to send additional troops there.
He was speaking during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's state visit to United States.
Dr Singh described his trip to Washington as a "moment of opportunity" for the two nations. There was pomp and ceremony at the first official state visit of the Obama presidency, as well as warm words from both leaders.
"To build the relationship between our nations, born in the last century, into one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," said President Obama.
"This is a moment of great opportunity in our relationship," said Dr Singh.
Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders went off to talk about a broad range of bilateral issues. And emerging about 90 minutes later, President Obama was ready to talk about Afghanistan, saying his strategy on troop numbers would come very shortly.
Mr Obama said: "It is my intention to finish the job. I feel very confident that when the American people hear a very clear rationale for what we are doing there, and how we intend to achieve our goals, that there will be support."
On tensions between India and Pakistan, he said it was not America's place to solve historic conflicts, but he wanted to be encouraging in ways both nations can feel secure.
"And one of the things I admire most about PM Singh is that I think at his core, he is a man of peace," the US president said.
Both the leaders emphasized new and ongoing collaborations in the field of science, health, nuclear space technology, and agriculture.
Although the large Indian press seemed to concentrate most on President Obama's peacemaking with Pakistan, it is his imminent decision on troop levels in Afghanistan that may in the end have the most impact.
- CNA/sc
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