US postpones India-US ‘2+2 dialogue' due to unavoidable reasons: MEA

The US on Wednesday conveyed to India that it has postponed the first ‘2+2 dialogue’ between the two sides due to unavoidable reasons and expressed regret.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter and wrote, “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.”

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

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo agreed to identify new mutually convenient dates to hold the Dialogue at the earliest.

“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,” the MEA spokesperson tweeted.

The India-US ‘2+2 dialogue’ was scheduled for July 6, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to the US to take part in the meeting with US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis.

Also Read: Sushma Swaraj, Nirmala Sitharaman to attend first India-US ‘2+2 dialogue’

This is the second time the ‘2+2 dialogue’ was postponed.

Earlier this year, the dialogue was postponed due to uncertainty over the confirmation of Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump’s new Secretary of State, who was later confirmed as Secretary of State in April.