Speaking to journalists upon assuming office Monday, Mathai said, “The challenges are dealing with our foreign policy and its outreach through diplomacy in a holistic way, which takes care of our political and strategic interests, combines the economic and commercial interests of the country, and keeps in mind also the cultural image of the country and the way in which we portray ourselves in the world. [break]
” He added, “Within this broad framework obviously the main challenges are maintaining an area of constructive cooperation in the immediate neighborhood, that is the main challenge, and I think that will be one of my priority tasks.”
With regard to India’s relation with global powers, Mathai said, “We also will have to be in close touch with and develop the most cooperative and strong relationships with all major global players on the international scene,” adding, “We need to keep in mind the need for very very strong relations with the countries of Africa, Latin America, Central Asia, South East Asia and the Gulf region. Managing all these would be the major challenge.”
Responding to a question on challenge confronting India regarding its dealings with Pakistan, Mathai said, “Foreign secretaries are expected to pave the way for a substantive dialogue with Pakistan on all issues and I look forward to cooperating with the Pakistani foreign secretary on that and we have to try and work to restore trust and confidence.” He maintained that this is a “mandate” that has been given to him. He also added, “Foreign secretary is as much an institution, as an individual.
So I will continue this effort (toward Pakistan), continuity will be my watchword.”
Stating that he is taking office in one of the most “complex times”, Mathai said, “We have to be scrupulous and efficient managers of the policies, which are laid down by the government and that will be my priority.”
“We are in a world of flux and we have to be innovative and adapt to the situation as it develops, but at the same time we have to be clear-eyed about what are our national priorities and interests, many of which remain permanent. Obviously in dealing with the foreign policy challenges we have to take a holistic view of our political, strategic, economic and commercial, cultural as well as, public aspects of our image, as a country,” Mathai further said.
He added that he will also concentrate on giving considerable priority to the public service dimension of the work of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
Mathai, a 1974-batch IFS officer, was named India’s new foreign secretary last month. He was the Indian envoy to France earlier and will now hold the new office for a term of two years. He succeeded Nirupama Rao, who has now been appointed India’s envoy to the US.
Mathai has served in Indian embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels.
As joint secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi from January 1995 to February 1998, he headed the division dealing with India’s relations with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Maldives.
He also served as Indian ambassador to Israel from February 1998 to June 2001 and was ambassador to Qatar from August 2001 to July 2005.
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