Carry out assessment of overseas missions before shutting them

We learn that the Foreign Ministry is making arrangements to shut down some of our embassies and consular offices in the wake of the dollar crunch.

For all intents and purposes this move is tantamount to a knee-jerk reaction. Hence we suggest that in the best interests of the nation, the Ministry undertakes a study of all overseas missions in collaboration with the relevant heads to ascertain their usefulness in terms of diplomatic, economic and other benefits that accrue to our country and in tandem carry out an exercise with regard to staffing and recurrent expenditure before a decision to close down missions is taken.