Union External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha is travelling to the United States next week. He will be in Washington DC from January 19 to 21.

The visit comes close on the heels of India and the US announcing their intent to take cooperation in trinity issues to a new height, and India and Pakistan taking firmer steps towards solving their disputes.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs he will meet Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condolezza Rice among others.

Sinha's meeting with Powell is considered as the sounding board for planning the next round of the Indo-US bilateral cooperation.

Sources said the meeting would have significant impact on the immediate future of Indo-US relations, especially in the wake of the statement issued by President George Bush and Prime Minister Vajpayee on Tuesday on improving cooperation in civilian nuclear, civilian space and high technology areas.

India's peace initiatives with Pakistan would also figure during the talks, an MEA official said.

He admitted that US played a key role in Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf agreeing to denounce terrorism in the Indo-Pak joint statement issued in Islamabad during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit for the SAARC summit early this month.

Sinha has scheduled several meetings in the US Congress, including with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee.

Officials said Sinha would also meet with leaders of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. Sinha is also expected to have some media interactions and sessions at think tanks.