Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel shakes hands with US Ambassador Kathleen Stephens
The US interim Ambassador to India today paid a courtesy visit to Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel here and discussed a host of issues, including relations between the two countries and the BJP-ruled state's progress in the energy sector.
Kathleen Stephens, who took charge in June, is on a two-day visit of Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Met the US Ambassador (Charge D Affairs Ad Interim) Ms Kathleen Stephens in Gandhinagar today," Patel said on her twitter account.
According to an official release, the Chief Minister, during the meeting with Stephens, expressed the hope that the Indo-US relations will be strengthened further after the forthcoming visit of Modi to America.
Patel told the envoy Gujarat is self-reliant in energy production and suggested setting up of a 'US-India-Gujarat working group' to encourage low carbon emission. Stephens praised Gujarat for attaining self reliance in energy sector, the release said.
"Stephens said it is really an appreciable achievement for Gujarat to attain self-reliance in the energy sector." Patel urged Stephens to set up an American visa centre in Gujarat.
"With a view to ease the difficulties Gujarat students face in procuring US visa, after securing admission in various universities there, the Chief Minister urged the envoy to set up an American visa centre in Gujarat," the release said. She invited Stephens to attend the state government's Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit in 2015.
Stephens said a stable government at the Centre will add a new chapter in the Indo-US ties. "A stable government in India would surely add a new chapter in the bilateral ties and start a new phase of cordial relationship between the two countries."
Stephens later visited 'Sarkhej Roza', a 15th century monument in the city and held an informal talk with some of the people managing the site.