IDENTIFYING THE IRRITANT IN PAK-RUSSIAN RELATIONS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIAL MEASURES

Pakistan
and Russian Federation are two important countries of Asia and with entering
into cordial, friendly and trustworthy relations with each other; both states
could ensure an era of peace, progress and prosperity in the region. The
Pakistan-Russian relations have been marred by unfounded misunderstandings,
which to a considerable extent still haunt the minds of foreign policy makers
in both countries. In the changed international scenario, Pakistan and the
Russian Federation should come up with renewed zeal and zest, forgetting Cold
War bitterness and should actively cooperate with each other in economic,
social and science and technology sectors. These were observations expressed
by scholars, intellectuals and participants of a two-day seminar on,
"Identifying the Irritant in Pak-Russian Relations and Possible Remedial
Measures" at the Area Study Centre (Russia, China and Central Asia)
University of Peshawar, Pakistan on October 24-25, 2002. The Hanns Seidel
Foundation organized the seminar in collaboration with the Area Study Centre.

Dr.Azmat
Hayat Khan, the Center's Director, and Dr. Andreas Rieck, Resident
Representative of the HSF in Islamabad, introduced the seminar. Mr. Rieck
noted that his Government would facilitate and support each and every
initiative aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two nations in all
fields. He noted that in the coming discussion on the topic concerned many
sore and sweet aspects would come forward but he highlighted that it would be
beneficial if the participants would concentrate on the positive aspects of
future dialogues between Pakistan and Russia. He also said that Afghanistan as
a source of irritation has disappeared and now in the newly emerged situation
there is much scope for the improvement in Pakistani-Russian relations.

Dr.
Sohail Khan of the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs then stated that 9/11
had provided both the countries a chance to understand each other. He
mentioned several projects in which Russia has extended its support to
Pakistan, and discussed the Indian factor in Pakistani-Russian relations. Dr.
Pervez Iqbal Tareen of the ASC pointed out Russo-Indian relations as a major
impediment in establishing active bilateral relations between Pakistan and
Russia. He called upon policy makers in Pakistan to take full benefit of
Russian expertise in oil, gas, heavy machinery and other industrial sectors.

Yuri
Kozlov of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, speaking on the
prospects for trade and economic interaction, identified metallurgy, heavy
machinery, electricity, shipping and communication as the sectors in which
Russia could extend support to Pakistan. He said that Russian Federation was
already handling a number of projects in Pakistan like the modernization of
Karachi Sea Port, and that Pakistan has a big market in Russia for textile and
leather.

Colonel
(retired) Muhammad Yahya Effendi, a well-known Pakistani scholar, focused on
the historical nature of the irritants between the two countries. He also
referred to the Great Game between Czarist Russia and the British Indian
Empire during the 19th century. Yuri Patapov of the Russian embassy Islamabad
in his speech declared the June 2002 Almaty meeting between President General
Pervez Musharraf and President Putin as a landmark in Pak-Russian relations,
and noted that Russia and Pakistan are coming closer to cooperation in various
fields.

Dr.
Artium Rudnitsky of the Russian Embassy, Islamabad, pointed out that Russia
was keen to participate in all efforts at establishing peace in Afghanistan.
He was of the opinion that the economic progress of the countries of the
region is depended upon the Afghanistan situation.

Dr.Azmat
Hayat Khan, in his paper spotlighted the importance of geo-economics in the
era of Globalization. He elaborated that building oil and gas pipelines from
central Asia to India through Pakistan would be a big economic boom for
Pakistan and that could only be achieved through the cooperation of Russia. In
defense cooperation, Russian hardware is more economic and suitable for local
terrain. If Russia use its influence with India to solve the Kashmir problem,
not only both Pakistan and India would benefit, but also it would reduce
tension in the whole region. He explained that in solving the Afghan issue,
the Russian Federation should be taken into confidence and give full
participation in the peace process.

Mr.
Shamim, Peshawar Bureau Chief of the Daily Nation, said that both countries
have suffered a lot from involvement in Afghanistan, and that meaningless
involvement has paved the way for the flourishing of terrorism. He further
added that Pakistan and the Russian Federation should help in the eradication
of warlordism and in the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

In
the end of the seminar, Dr. Azmat Hayat Khan put forward recommendations for
policy. Confidence Building measures should be adopted so that Russian policy
makers and scholars study the Pakistani system, social structure of society
and the functioning of Pakistan's Government. There is a need for more
interaction and visits by scholars and experts so that a strong bridge is
built between the two nations. Pakistan and Russia should move closer not only
on the intellectual and scholarly levels, but organized tours of journalists,
agricultural experts and tourism should be undertaken as well. There is a need
to create a favorable image in both countries of each other by promoting
people-to-people understanding. Both countries should develop economic
relations to mutual advantage and for regional development and prosperity.

Dr.
Azmat also added that Pakistan should strive for membership of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization. Russia and the Central Asian region have always,
since time immemorial, played a vital part in the cultural, historic and
academic life of the subcontinent, and he expressed hope that they will do so
in the future too.

Dr.Zahid
Anwar, Assistant Professor, Area Study Center, University of Peshawar,
Pakistan.