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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence here on Monday evening. The two leaders exchanged pleasantries and shook hands before the media. Clinton earlier today called on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his official 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence here. Clinton, who arrived in New Delhi this afternoon after winding up her one-day visit to Kolkata, was received by India's Ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao and senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the U.S. Embassy in Delhi. Earlier in the day, Clinton met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, who described her meeting with visiting United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as constructive and creative. Clinton earlier today urged energy-starved India to reduce its oil imports from Iran to maintain global pressure on that country to come clean on its nuclear program. Addressing a town hall meeting in Kolkata, Clinton said New Delhi could find and tap alternative sources for oil, and added that Washington would like to see New Delhi do more to reduce its imports from Iran . " India ... is certainly working towards lowering purchases of Iranian oil. We commend the steps they have taken thus far. We hope they will do even more," she said. Clinton also said that both the US and India with their pluralistic societies are the biggest threat to extremists because of their culture of tolerance. The extremists hate tolerance. They want everyone to think the way she do. On Tuesday, she will have a meeting with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna before addressing a joint press conference with him. Clinton said the United States wanted a peaceful solution and pointed to efforts by President Barack Obama early in his term to reach out to Iran.

Hillary Clinton meets Sonia Gandhi at 10, Janpath