JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Over at the White House, President Clinton has been hosting visiting Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Mr. Clinton says their two countries are taking their relationship in a new direction with today's visit, following the president's groundbreaking trip to India in March. CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us now with more on the talks. Hi, Kelly.</s>KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Jeanne. Those talks wrapped up just a short time ago. Prime Minister Vajpayee just left the White House grounds. Earlier, in talking to reporters, both leaders saying that Mr. Clinton's trip to India in March, the first by a U.S. leader in more than 20 years, led to new beginning in relations between the two countries. U.S. officials certainly hoping that today's meeting would build on the progress that was made back on that trip earlier this year. Earlier this morning, Mr. Clinton formally welcomed the Indian prime minister to the White House at an arrival ceremony on the grounds of South Lawn. Mr. Vajpayee look at bit frail. He is going to be having knee surgery when returns back to India. Because of his health, the two leaders canceled a scheduled news conference and just met with reporters before their Oval Office meeting. On the agenda: the two leaders were expected to talk about economic issues, such as dealing with combating poverty, and also trade between the two countries. They were also expected to focus on security issues, certainly something very much of a concern to the United States is having India scale back its nuclear weapons programs. India and Pakistan stunned the world community back in 1998 when the two countries conducted nuclear tests. India, though, pretty much has put a freeze on its nuclear testing programs, but says it continues to need a nuclear program to deal with rivals, such as Pakistan and also China. So economic, security issues on the agenda. Also a chance really for the two leaders to get together, advance relations between the two countries. Mr. Clinton hoping that whoever becomes the next U.S. president will continue to focus on this relationship -- Jeanne.</s>MESERVE: Kelly Wallace, at the White House, thank you.
President Clinton Hosts Indian Prime Minister, Hoping to Take Relationship in New Direction