The office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, set up during the previous Obama administration, would be merged with the South and Central Asia Bureau of the State Department, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.
In a letter, Tillerson informed Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on realignment of State Department structure which includes abolishing several posts and a number of special envoys positions.
"The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) will assume the functions and staff of the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and coordinate across the government to meet US strategic goals in the region," Tillerson wrote.
He has sought feedback from Corker on his proposals.
According to Tillerson, his proposals on abolishing the office of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will involve removing the title and sustaining the realignment of nine positions and USD 1,985,000 in support costs.
"Given the administration's recent South Asia policy announcement, the Secretary will consider options regarding diplomatic responsibilities in the region as needed," he said.
"I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus, and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose," Tillerson wrote.
"In some cases, the State Department would leave in place several positions and offices, while in other cases, positions and offices would be either consolidated or integrated with the most appropriate bureau. If an issue no longer requires a special envoy or representative, then an appropriate bureau will manage any legacy responsibilities," he said.
This integration, he wrote, would also eliminate redundancies that dilute the ability of a bureau to deliver on its primary functions.
"Empowering regional and functional bureaus will make knowledge and resources more accessible, provide clarity in reporting authority, strengthen communication channels, and create a more efficient State Department," Tillerson said.
While indicating that he plans to abolish a number of positions, Tillerson said he intends to keep the special position on Tibet.
Corker has welcomed the move in general.
"Through the years, numbers of special envoys have accumulated at the State Department, and in many cases, their creation has done more harm than good by creating an environment in which people work around the normal diplomatic processes in lieu of streamlining them," he said.
"That is one reason our committee took bipartisan action last month to require Senate confirmation of special envoys while empowering the secretary to reduce bureaucracy by reining in these often unnecessary positions. I appreciate the work Secretary Tillerson has done to responsibly review the organizational structure of special envoys and look forward to going through these changes in detail," Corker said.
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