ID :
73348
Sat, 08/01/2009 - 19:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/73348
The shortlink copeid
Nirupama Rao takes over as FS
New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Describing her new assignment
as "complex and yet fascinating", Nirupama Rao Saturday took
over as Foreign Secretary with a focus on further augmenting
India's diplomatic capabilities.
The appointment of the 58-year-old seasoned diplomat
comes at a time when India's relations with Pakistan are going
through testing times in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror
attacks.
"I strongly believe that our diplomacy and our
diplomats play a vital role in promoting national interest and
safeguarding our national goals of development in an
atmosphere of peace and security," she said after assuming
charge at South Block here.
Rao, a 1973-batch IFS officer succeeds Shivshankar
Menon, who demitted his office Friday after a stint of two
years and ten months.
"Today, in a rapidly evolving world situation, the
task is to further augment our diplomatic and professional
capabilities as we are called upon to play an even more
prominent role in world affairs.
"This will be an important area of focus in my new
responsibilities. The foreign policy interests of our nation
encompass a number of areas, which are both regional and
global, and which concern relations with our neighbours and
the world beyond", she said.
Rao is the second women after Chokila Iyer to hold
the post of Foreign Secretary.
"Economic diplomacy and public diplomacy are also
issues that demand increased attention. We are called upon as
diplomats to deal with a number of these issues, at any one
given time, in a manner that is focused, mature and balanced,
that is persuasive and has vision and long term perspective,"
Rao said.
"This is an absorbing task and I look forward to it
with great hope and optimism," she said.
Besides Pakistan, dealing with other nations of the
"turbulent" neighbourhood would be among her foremost
challenges.
The diplomat, who was ambassador to China before her
new assignment, will have a tenure of 17 months as the top
foreign ministry official.
Prior to her stint in China, she has served in various
key positions, including India's High Commissioner to Sri
Lanka and was the first woman spokesperson of the External
Affairs Ministry.
Earlier, she had served in the Indian Missions in
Washington and Moscow, besides having a stint in the Ministry
of External Affairs as Joint Secretary (East Asia).PTI
as "complex and yet fascinating", Nirupama Rao Saturday took
over as Foreign Secretary with a focus on further augmenting
India's diplomatic capabilities.
The appointment of the 58-year-old seasoned diplomat
comes at a time when India's relations with Pakistan are going
through testing times in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror
attacks.
"I strongly believe that our diplomacy and our
diplomats play a vital role in promoting national interest and
safeguarding our national goals of development in an
atmosphere of peace and security," she said after assuming
charge at South Block here.
Rao, a 1973-batch IFS officer succeeds Shivshankar
Menon, who demitted his office Friday after a stint of two
years and ten months.
"Today, in a rapidly evolving world situation, the
task is to further augment our diplomatic and professional
capabilities as we are called upon to play an even more
prominent role in world affairs.
"This will be an important area of focus in my new
responsibilities. The foreign policy interests of our nation
encompass a number of areas, which are both regional and
global, and which concern relations with our neighbours and
the world beyond", she said.
Rao is the second women after Chokila Iyer to hold
the post of Foreign Secretary.
"Economic diplomacy and public diplomacy are also
issues that demand increased attention. We are called upon as
diplomats to deal with a number of these issues, at any one
given time, in a manner that is focused, mature and balanced,
that is persuasive and has vision and long term perspective,"
Rao said.
"This is an absorbing task and I look forward to it
with great hope and optimism," she said.
Besides Pakistan, dealing with other nations of the
"turbulent" neighbourhood would be among her foremost
challenges.
The diplomat, who was ambassador to China before her
new assignment, will have a tenure of 17 months as the top
foreign ministry official.
Prior to her stint in China, she has served in various
key positions, including India's High Commissioner to Sri
Lanka and was the first woman spokesperson of the External
Affairs Ministry.
Earlier, she had served in the Indian Missions in
Washington and Moscow, besides having a stint in the Ministry
of External Affairs as Joint Secretary (East Asia).PTI
