Obama to hold situation room meeting on Af-Pak

US president Barack Obama will hold a situation room meeting with his top aides to decide on his administration's strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan tomorrow, hours before he will receive prime minister Manmohan Singh at the White House.

Among the top administration officials expected to attend the meeting are vice president Joe Biden, secretary of defence Robert Gates and secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

The meeting will be the ninth time Obama has met with his national security team as part of a review of Afghanistan strategy since August.

The meeting may also decide whether to accept the recommendations of Gen McChrystal's report which had sought a substantial increase in US troops in Afghanistan.

Tomorrow's meeting assumes significance as it is scheduled just hours before the US president will receive the prime Minister at the White House for discussions and later for the State Dinner.

Situation in Af-Pak region as well as the US' policy on the two countries is expected to figure during discussions between Singh and Obama.

The Obama administration considers India as an effective partner in Afghanistan as New Delhi has been involved in a number of developmental projects.