U.S. Negotiating MoU with India On Women's Issues

WASHINGTON: The U.S. is in the process of negotiating a memorandum of understanding with India on women's issues, a top Obama Administration official has informed lawmakers saying they are "horrified" at the recent incidents of gangrape and murder of two girls in UP.

 "We are in the process of negotiating an MoU with the Indian government on women's issues and I think that we're fairly optimistic going forward," the Ambassador At Large For Global Women's Issues, Catherine M Russell said on Wednesday.

She was speaking at a Congressional hearing, wherein lawmakers expressed deep concern over the recent episodes of violence against women in India and urged the US Government to hold talks with the Indian Government in this regard.

 "Obviously the stories of the gang rape hangings are absolutely horrifying. The interesting thing is that the Indian public had a very strong reaction to that as well and I think the politicians there are responding," Russell said.

It'll be very interesting to see how the new Prime Minister reacts to this and we're hopeful that there will be a positive and forward-thinking reaction, she added. "We are engaged in a dialogue with the Indian government and a women's empowerment dialogue. That's been going," she said.

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