Mathai says his mandate is to pave way for Indo-Pak talks
New Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on Monday said he entered the office with the mandate of working with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir for a substantive dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad on all issues.
“I have entered this office with a mandate, which is that we as foreign secretaries are expected to pave the way for a substantive dialogue with Pakistan, on all issues of common concern and I look forward to cooperating with the Pakistan foreign secretary on that and we have to try and work to restore trust and confidence,” Mathai told media-persons after taking over as foreign secretary.
Mathai, an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1974 batch, succeeded Nirupama Rao, who was appointed as India’s envoy to the United States.
His comment outlining New Delhi’s perspective on talks with Islamabad came shortly after External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar met here on July 27 last and decided to “narrow divergences and build convergences”.
“I look forward to cooperating with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary on that and we have to try and work to restore trust and confidence. This is the mandate that has been given to me,” he said.
He was Ambassador of India to Israel from February 1998 to June 2001 and to Qatar from August 2001 to July 2005. He held the post of Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London, from August 2005 to January 2007.
His next stint was as India’s ambassador to France, a position he held since January 2007 till his appointment as the new foreign secretary.
