WASHINGTON The White House on Friday canceled a joint news conference with President Bill Clinton and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at the Indian government's request because of the premier's poor health.
"Yesterday the Indians asked us to look at the schedule and try to find a way to shorten the day.
It's been a very long trip, an exhausting trip for the prime minister and they felt the last event today, the press conference was a little bit too much," said White House spokesman Joe Lockhart.
He said Vajpayee was known to have health problems, and the Indians wanted to give the prime minister some time to rest as he still had several days left of his U.S. visit.
Vajpayee is due to undergo surgery soon to replace his osteoarthitic-troubled knee.
The 73-year-old prime minister's health has been the subject of media speculation since he cut short his stay at a party convention last month because of pain in his knees.
Vajpayee trimmed his two-week visit to the United States by two days on the advice of doctors, forcing him to skip a scheduled stopover in San Francisco.
Clinton will host an official dinner for the Indian prime minister on Sunday at the White House.
(Reuter)