New Delhi:
In the midst of his first major foreign policy crisis vis-a-vis Afghanistan, the US President Joe Biden has appointed a career diplomat, Nicholas Burns, as country’s new envoy to China.
Obviously, the choice of Burns marks a shift in the US administration policy as for the first time in the last decade a choice has been made to appoint a former diplomat to Beijing.
Till October last year, the post has been held by seasoned politicians.
Experts say by the new move, President Biden is eyeing a new model of communication with the Xi Jinping dispensation in Beijing.
Perhaps Biden’s move signifies a fresh attempt to normalise relations between two countries which have been marred by major trade differences and also a few sensitive diplomatic and strategic tussles.
From America’s own domestic politics, it is worth pointing out that Burns has served in key positions for both the Clinton and George Bush administrations.
Burns has not handled China in senior positions, but he is not an entirely greenhorn as he has served as Under Secretary of State for political affairs.
He also served as US envoy to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
According to a report in ‘Global Times’, Li Xiang of US Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing has said that Burns’s opinions on China are “relatively balanced and not as extreme” as that of former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Burns would take over at a time when the US is also in major confrontation with authorities in Beijing over the spread of Covid19 and the possibility of the leak of the virus from a Chinese lab.
The US has no envoy to Beijing since October 2020 when Trump nominee Terry Branstad had stepped down.
China’s role vis-a-vis takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban would be under closer gaze by the US and the global community as foreign minister Wang Yi has already hosted Mullah Baradar, a top ranking Taliban insurgent.
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Jaishankar makes a stopover at Doha, talks 'Afghan issue'
New Delhi: Amid turmoil in Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul and anxiety at the global level on the fate of war against terrorism, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister of Qatar at Doha.
"Met Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani @MBA_AlThani, DPM & FM Qatar during my stop over in Doha," Jaishankar tweeted.
He also said both the leaders had "useful exchange" of views on Afghanistan.
The deliberations between Indian leaders and Qatar have increased lately.
Qatar’s special envoy for conflict resolution, Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani. had visited New Delhi earlier this month and invited India for a round of talks on the situation in Afghanistan.
India's move to draw closer to Qatar on issues related to Afghanistan is crucial.
Dr Jaishankar was returning from New York where he had gone to attend a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Qatar has played host to negotiations between the US and the Taliban that facilitated the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops from Afghanistan.
The Qatari capital has also played host to talks between the Taliban and the representatives of the Afghan government of Ashraf Ghani.
Qatar has also been host to the Taliban’s political office in Doha since 2013.
Dr Jaishankar has made two stopovers at Doha in June during his visit to Kenya and Kuwait.
The Qatari foreign minister, in a tweet said: "Delighted to welcome again my colleague @DrSJaishankar, #India's Minister of External Affairs. Our discussion included ways of developing the historical relations between our two friendly nations, along with the recent developments in Afghanistan".
Dr Jaishankar said on Thursday in New York that for India the 'historical relationship' with Afghan people has always been important and that relationship with the Afghan people 'obviously continues'.
"I think that relationship with the Afghan people obviously continues and that will guide our approach in Afghanistan in the coming days," the Minister told journalists.
India has completed the evacuation of all its diplomats and other staff members from Kabul in two Air Force aircraft with the support from the United States.
Meanwhile, reports said the Taliban has been carrying out door-to-door searches of several embassies in Kabul and other places like Kandahar.
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Nirendra Dev
New Delhi
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