ISLAMABAD – Reference 2014 withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan, Pakistan force the last one year looking towards super powers sitting across Afghanistan and Pakistan and Russia are going for their first ever Strategic Dialogue. Dialogue has started in Moscow Wednesday August 28, 2013 for upgrading political, diplomatic, and economic and defence relations, reports Dispatch News Desk (DND).
Headed by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistani team wishes breakthrough over certain issues including knowing what will be appearance level of Russia at its allies borders including Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan during after Nato force withdrawal because Pakistan has no idea where camel of Afghan unrest will sit and there is long history of infiltration of radical Islamists from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore Pakistan needs that Russia should play its role to secure such borders because there are fears that last destination of such radical Islamists from Central Asia will be Pakistan. Uzbekistan border will be managed by Nato for its cordial relations with western forces but tajik border is quite tricky and there is no presence of Nato forces on this border. It may be mentioned that Pakistan and Russia decided for such dialogue at foreign secretary-level meeting by the two countries last year.
Diplomatic circles believe that both the countries have important issues including Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Iraq as well as Afghanistan. Disarmament, counter-terrorism, drug-trafficking and global security are also among the key areas of convergence between the two countries at bilateral and multilateral levels.
Pakistan has ongoing defence cooperation with Russia and prospects of it bolstering are evident by recent exchange of visits by the military top brass on both sides. In a significant development military Chiefs of both the countries exchanged visits for the first time recently.
Pakistan’s army chief Gen Ashfaq Kiyani visited Moscow last year and the Russian Air chief visited here earlier this month. Diplomatic sources refer to the exchange of visits as a signal of mutual interest in augmenting collaboration in the key areas of defence and security.
Pakistan and Russia have been exploring the prospects of enhanced bilateral cooperation through joint economic projects in the areas such as energy, power, railways, telecommunications and IT. Russia, which is one of the world’s leading energy producers, has offered Pakistan collaboration in oil exploration and its major transportation projects.
The two countries have had collaboration in the area of space and satellite technology and in the aviation field.
At present the two-way trade between Pakistan and Russia stands at almost US $542 million with the balance tilting in favour of Russia. The numbers are considered far low and the potential of increased trade is estimated in vicinity of US $4 billion.
Russia has been supportive of Pakistan becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Pakistan has also shown its eagerness to develop strong political ties with Russia. In June 2005 Pakistan supported Russia’s bid for observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and in turn Russia helped Pakistan obtain the observer status in the SCO.
Pakistan’s relations with Russia have been growing over the past decade with top-level political and diplomatic engagement. Pakistan’s Parliament and its envoys have repeatedly advocated the need for stronger ties with Russia during debate and discussions on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities. Think tanks and former diplomats also appear to agree to this view.
Moscow re-established a political dialogue with Islamabad in February 2003 when President Musharraf visited Russia. However, due to Russia’s active engagement with India not much headway could be made on this front at that time.
President Musharraf blamed Moscow’s pro-India policy as an obstacle in the qualitative development of Pakistan-Russia relations in the post-Cold war world.
However, Russia is now no longer fixated on India and does not look at its relations through the prism of India. It is beginning to look in other directions too. The emerging global scenario and new strategic alliances including the Indo-US nuclear deal have made it accelerate engagement with more countries in the region.
Moscow and Islamabad have been cooperating in the UN and on key international issues. Both share the view on the need for a multi-polar world and the centrality of the UN role in the world affairs.
Tag:  Russian Pak dialogue in Moscow may strengthen joint strategy to deal with US post-withdrawal scenario in 2014
