US Ambassador Nancy Powell on Tuesday used a New Year message to express regrets for “the circumstances” of the arrest of Indian Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade even as the two countries continued to stick to their positions on the issue.
Powell, who along with other US diplomats have lost extra privileges enjoyed by them, hitherto in India’s retaliatory action, said she joins “Secretary Kerry in expressing our regret for the circumstances of the consular officer’s arrest, but we believe that we can look forward to continuing to expand our bilateral relations.” Referring to various “impressive developments” between India and the US in a wide-range of areas, she said, this “forward movement has been jolted by very different reactions to issues involving one of your consular officers and her domestic worker”.