India says no to US 'non-Nato ally offer'

Continuing to express displeasure against the US for keeping it in the dark about Pakistan's special MNNA status, the external affairs ministry spokesman said, "we have not given any consideration to that kind of relationship with the United States."

A call had been made by the US Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, to the external affairs minister, Yashwant Sinha, over the weekend, to make amends, and during their conversation, the spokesman said, "Secretary Powell referred to the way in which

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the US announcement about designating Pakistan as a major non-Nato Ally had emerged, and said that their intention had not been to spring a surprise on India."

Powell had been trying to call Sinha ever since the announcement was made in Pakistan, but could not reach the minister who was campaigning in his constituency.