Logjam in MEA appointments

JYOTI MALHOTRA

New Delhi, April 13, 2007 : As if the Congress party’s cup of concern over Uttar Pradesh isn’t overflowing fast enough, the government is now being forced to take time out to decide the fate of three key ambassadorial postings, to Britain, the US and Russia.

With the terms of all three occupants to the top jobs in these countries, Kamalesh Sharma, Ronen Sen and Kanwal Sibal, coming to an end in August, the future of each of these high-profile diplomats -- perceived to be very close to the powers-that-be – is becoming the talk of town.

Sibal is the brother of Kapil Sibal, minister for Science & Technology, Sen was the all-powerful joint secretary in the prime minister’s office when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, and Sharma is related to Suman Dubey, believed to be a friend of the Sonia Gandhi family.

All three men were either retiring or had already retired when they were given these plum postings soon after the UPA government took power in May 2004 – although Sen had been assured the America posting even before the elections, by the BJP government in April. Kamalesh Sharma, in fact, after retirement, had already done a stint in East Timor as the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy.

It now turns out that Sharma wants India to put in his hat for the post of Secretary-General to the Commonwealth, which falls vacant in December. Sharma feels that since its Asia’s turn this time (the outgoing Commonwealth S-G, Don McKinnon is from New Zealand), and India is an ideal Asian candidate, New Delhi could nicely field him.

Unfortunately for Sharma, the Foreign minister of Malta, Michael Frendo, has only earlier this week decided to contest for the Commonwealth top job.

And New Delhi, burnt by Shashi Tharoor’s loss to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea last year, seems in no mood to join another contest.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office is agog with the speculation that Sharma has also been offered the top job in America. Of course, that can only happen if Ronen Sen agrees to leave. And Sen, at the moment, is in the thick of negotiating the 123 nuclear deal with the US, for which the second round of talks is taking place in about ten days time.

The rumour is that Sen could come back to Delhi, to a high-profile, advisorial post, thereby making way for Sharma to come to America. Or he could simply stay on in Washington, taking the Indo-US relationship from strength to strength.

But if Sen stays on, the big question is, what will Kamalesh Sharma do? Especially if India doesn’t particularly feel like contesting against the Maltese minister for the Commonwealth job?

Meanwhile, it is being said, Kanwal Sibal, who will complete three years in Moscow, is very keen on moving on to London.

Problem is, when Foreign Secretary Shivshanker Menon superseded 16 people to take the top job in Delhi last October, it was understood that at least a few highly respected diplomats who were superseded, would be posted to high places.

For example, when Nirupam Sen, India’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, asked for an extension, he got one. He will now retire in August.

It was also rumoured that Shiv Mukherjee, India’s ambassador to Nepal and a highly reputed diplomat, who also oversaw the peaceful transition in relations with Kathmandu, would be sent to London, once Kamalesh Sharma’s term ended in August.

If the rumours are correct, that would make it two contenders already for London, Sibal and Mukherjee.

Certainly, in this cruellest April month, the MEA’s musical chairs is already giving some people a lot of sleepless nights.

ENDS