Pompeo expresses 'regret' to Swaraj over 2+2 dialogue deferral

New Delhi: In a late-evening development on Wednesday, the US has requested India for postponement of the bilateral strategic 2+2 dialogue that was to take place in the US on July 6 between the foreign and defence ministers of both countries.

Speculation is rife that this could be due to the American preoccupation with the crucial forthcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sources told this newspaper that the postponement by the US did not seem to have anything to do with India but rather due to scheduling reasons.

US secretary of state Michael R. Pompeo conveyed “regret and deep disappointment” over the postponement due to “unavoidable reasons” in a phone call to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, and sought India’s “understanding”. The two ministers then agreed to identify “mutually convenient dates” to hold the dialogue “at the earliest”.

Confirming the postponement late on Wednes-day evening, MEA spokes-person Raveesh Kumar tweeted, “US @SecPomp-eo 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. 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.”

There was speculation too whether divergence between the India and US on Iran could have anything to do with the postponement, but that may seem unlikely, given the two countries have already affirmed holding the dialogue on fresh dates. India has already made it clear it will not toe the US line on sanctions against Iran as it recognises only sanctions imposed by the United Nations against any country.