Natwar for friendship, good neighbourliness with Pak

THE NEW TEAM'S FIRST DAY

New Foreign Minister K. Natwar Singh today said the dialogue with Pakistan for friendship and good neighbourliness will be intensified.

Shortly after taking over in his South Block office, Singh said negotiations would be conducted as mandated by the Simla Agreement and others signed later between the two countries.

"I have some personal knowledge of the complexities and subtleties of Indo-Pak relations", Singh said, who has served as ambassador in Islamabad between 1980 and '82.

Describing Indo-US ties as multifaceted, he said as two great democracies, "it is in our interest, it is in their interest and the interest of the world community that relations between India and the US should be on a steady course and not episodic".

Singh said relations with China were "problem-free except for the border question" and added that a mechanism had been set up for addressing this problem.

The 73-year-old minister said he looked forward to "intensifying our relations with China", recalling that the breakthrough in Sino-Indian relations came in December, 1988, when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi made his historic visit to China.

He said he started his diplomatic career in China in the mid-50s and pointed out that in the 2,000-year old contacts between the two countries, there had been only one conflict.

He said the framework, broad approach and national consensus on foreign policy had survived these 57 years. "By its very nature, foreign policy should be evolutionary and not revolutionary", he said adding it was not tied to any doctrine or dogma. "We take decisions keeping in mind our vital national interests," he said.

Singh indicated that the government will have to take a decision on appointing a special representative to carry forward the talks to speed up the resolution of the protracted boundary issue.

The next meeting of the special representatives, as per earlier decision of the two governments, is to be held next month.

Singh signalled that he may effect certain changes in the foreign office but ruled out "abrupt departures" from the principle of seniority while considering the appointment of the next Foreign Secretary.

Foreign secretary Shashank's term comes to an end July. Singh will also have to initiate steps for appointing new envoys to the US and Britain.

He has also indicated that political appointees by the NDA government in diplomatic posts would soon have to quit.