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Takes over as chief of Commonwealth

LONDON: Kamalesh Sharma, India’s High Commissioner to the U.K. until recently, on Tuesday took over as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth becoming the first Indian to head the 53-member body in what is seen as a sign of India’s heightened profile in world affairs.

He succeeds Don McKinnon who retired after an eight-year turbulent term.

Mr. Sharma, who was appointed to the post last November at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, described the Commonwealth as a force for “global good” and promised to make it more “innovative” in responding to “challenges” of an increasingly globalised world.

“The Commonwealth is a force for genuine and creative partnership in addressing our collective challenges. I look forward to building on its strengths and achievements,” he said.

A career diplomat with extensive experience of working for world for a including the U.N., Mr. Sharma is regarded as close to the Congress Party.

His appointment as India’s envoy to the U.K. and New Delhi’s full-throated backing for him in the run-up to his election as head of the Commonwealth is attributed to his proximity to the ruling establishment.

One of the more ticklish issues Mr. Sharma will have to deal with relates to Pakistan which was suspended from the Commonwealth last November following President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency and curb democratic rights.

Now that Pakistan has a democratically-elected government there will, inevitably, be pressure from Islamabad to revoke the suspension.

Given the sensitive nature of India-Pakistan relations, there is much speculation how Mr. Sharma will tackle the issue.

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