The ministry’s transfers and postings are held up, because Kanwal Sibal, India’s ambassador to Russia is reluctant to move out of Moscow.
Kanwal Sibal, India’s ambassador to Russia, has refused to step down despite the expiry of his term
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs is in a fix. The ministry’s transfers and postings are held up, because Kanwal Sibal, India’s ambassador to Russia is reluctant to move out of Moscow.
Though the retired foreign secretary has completed his term and the government has named Prabhat Shukla, high commissioner to Australia as his successor, Sibal does not want to budge.
Sibal is one of the three high profile political appointments made by the UPA government when it came to power in 2004. The others included Ronen Sen, who was sent to Washington after his retirement to take over the post. Sen’s last job was being the high commissioner to the UK. The third appointee was Kamalesh Sharma, who took over from Sen in London. Sharma incidentally is close to the Gandhi’s.
Ambassador Sibal is said to be peeved at not getting any extension as opposed to Ronen Sen, who continues to stay on in Washington, till next year and Sharma whose name has been officially announced as New Delhi’s choice to contest the post of secretary general of the commonwealth.
Sibal is annoyed that the UPA government has not thought him fit to continue. Till Sibal moves, Prabhat Shukla cannot go to Moscow. Sujata Singh, currently joint secretary Europe West who will replace Shukla is also stuck.
Many officials of the ministry are surprised by Sibal’s action. ``He has had a great record; was an excellent foreign secretary. He should not tarnish it at this late stage,’’ an official said.
``But why shouldn’t he try to get something more, he has every right to try,’’ said another officer who had once served with Sibal.
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