Pompeo confirmation key for 2+2 dialogue with India
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s firing of his top diplomat Rex Tillerson may result in the postponement of the inaugural 2+2 dialogue between India and the US if newly appointed secretary of state Mike Pompeo, one of the principals, is not confirmed in time.
The 2+2 dialogue, in which the defence and external affair ministers of both countries will simultaneously meet, is scheduled for April 18 in Washington.
Tillerson leaves office on March 31, but Pompeo cannot take charge or begin discharging duties of the office till he is confirmed, according to rules of the US government.
Bob Corker, chairman of the senate foreign relations committee that will process Pompeo, said in a statement: “As I shared with the president, the committee will consider his nomination as expeditiously as possible.”
The statement added that the committee “expects” to hold a hearing on the nomination in April. Given the calendar of the senate, a congressional aide said the hearing is likely to take place only after April 9.
As CIA director, Pompeo has already been vetted and has the requisite security clearances. But the confirmation process still involves steps that start with the White House formally sending the nomination to the senate, where it is assigned to the relevant committee.
The committee holds hearings, which could go on for a day or longer. The panel then votes to send up nomination to the full senate for discussion and vote. Pompeo’s CIA nomination was approved by 66-32 vote in the 100-member body.
US officials are looking closely at the chances of the confirmation process being wrapped up before the date of the 2+2 dialogue. “Though anything is possible... From where we are today, it looks unlikely the secretary will be confirmed by then according to our calculations,” officials said.