New Delhi, Dec 02: Observing that "challenges" are there in the immediate neighbourhood, Foreign Secretary Shashank today underpinned the importance of going ahead "further" with confidence-building measures" for economic cooperation. Soon after taking charge of the key slot, 59-year old Shashank, a seasoned career diplomat who succeeds Kanwal Sibal, also spoke of the longer term mission of Asian economic unity.

"Of course, the challenges which are there in the immediate neighbourhood - to go ahead further with the confidence-building measures for economic cooperation and for moving towards PTA (Preferential Trading Arrangement) and FTA (Free Trade Agreement) type of programmes which have been prepared for us," he said without naming any country.

A 1966-batch IFS officer, Shashank, who will have a eight-month tenure till July next year, also stressed on cooperation with African and Latin American countries, besides the European Union and others.
"We have important relations with traditional friends and we have to strengthen them in whatever manner we can do," he told reporters at his south block office.

He assumes office at a time when there is thaw in Indo-Pak ties and those with the US, China, Russia and Europe are on an upswing.

Bureau Report