Eminent scholars and
academicians from Pakistan, the Russian federation, the People’s Republic of
China, the United Kingdom and the Central Asian Republics gathered in the Area
Study Center for Russia, China and Central Asia, University of Peshawar
(Pakistan) on 8-9 November, 2000, to express their views at a two day
international seminar on “Confidence Building Measures Between Pakistan,
Russia, and Central Asia.” 

The vice chancellor of
the University of  Peshawar Prof. Dr Qasim Jan inaugurated the seminar by
emphasizing the importance of close economic ties between Pakistan, Central
Asia, and Russia. He emphasized the need for a new start to revive the past
ties between South Asia and Central Asia with the active collaboration of the
Russian Federation.

Prof. Dr Azmat Hayat
Khan, Director of the Area Study Center for Russia, China and Central Asia, in
the welcome address, said that the main theme behind the gathering was the end
of geopolitics – the name of the game is now geo-economics. Economic success
of the nation requires a high level of involvement in the global economy.
Russia, he noted, will continue to remain the most influential power as
regards the countries of the region 

Dr. Azmat was of the
opinion that Pakistani-Soviet relations were hampered by the Cold War
environment. Due to its close historical culture and religious affinities with
the ‘Cultural Asia’ region, Pakistan has given special importance to the
development of relations with the states of region. Today the situation
demands an early solution of problems relating to political instability,
religious extremism, drug trafficking etc. Pakistan is sincerely interested in
finding a rapid solution to these problems. Only within the agreed framework
of confidence building measures would the neighboring countries be able to
arrive at an understanding to accommodate each others’ legitimate interests
in the region. Dr. Azmat stressed the importance of the seminar in this
regard. 

Mr. James Sher of the
conflict studies research center of U.K, noted in a keynote address that the
Soviet collapse destroyed the clarity in Russia about its identity. Putin’s
Russia is making a difference. Central Asian independence is irreversible but
Russia seeks to define what this independence means. Russian relations with
Pakistan are limited due to the Taliban phenomenon and its relations with
India. 

The Russian
Ambassador’s message was read out by the political counselor in the Russian
embassy. He said that Russia has never attached as much importance to Pakistan
as presently, but that the relations between the two countries have passed
through several ups and downs. This seminar, the ambassador added, represents
a contribution to mutual understanding between the people of the two
countries.

Mr. Akbarzeb, Director
General for Europe of the Pakistan foreign service said that Pakistan
considers Russia a great power, which has a role in Central Asia. He also
added that Russia can play an important role in the resolution in the Kashmir
issue. Regular interaction is necessary between Pakistan & Russia,
progress would be slow but discussion is needed. 

Sapar Berdiniyazov,
Ambassador of Turkmenistan, spoke on Neutral Turkmenistan within the framework
of regional cooperation. He said  that
since its independence in 1991, Turkmenistan has been enjoying dynamically
developed bilateral relations with Pakistan. The President of Turkmenistan,
Saparmurad Niyazov during his second visit to Pakistan in March 1995 announced
the doctrine of permanent, neutrality of Turkmenistan. The Ambassador
discussed in detail the cooperation between the two countries. Turkmenistan
considers that a closer relationship with Pakistan and Afghanistan must be
transformed into a coherent framework of economic cooperation with the
specific aim of opening the long awaited commerce corridor from landlocked
Central Asia to the world.

Prof.Dr. Belokrenitsky
of the Russian academy of sciences, discussed the problems in Russian-Pakistan
relations. He noted the need for confidence building measures, identifying the
Afghan quagmire, India and Kashmir issue, and economic subsistence as the
three major factors which require the attention of the governments and
scholars for confidence building measures. There was a great deal of optimism
in Russia that Pakistan could play a very helpful role in the matter of
Taliban and Afghanistan. He said if Pakistan and Russia came closer, the
Russian Federation might play a very positive role in resolving the Kashmir
problem. He was of the opinion that now while the geo-strategic realities had
been changed, both countries could once again make progress in terms of
economic cooperation. Russia could extend maximum cooperation to Pakistan in
IT and energy sector.

Prof. Dr. Mohammad
Anwar Khan, former vice chancellor of Peshawar university, noted that
relations of friendship and enmity are products of the history and geography
of a nation. Pakistan has deep historic and cultural links with Central Asia.
The end of Cold War left some frightful legacies in the region. Afghanistan
fell victim to civil war, pushing the society to means and actions disallowed
in civilized societies. Pakistan served a frontline state in containing the
Soviet march southward. This brought mercenaries, refugees, humanitarian aid
workers, journalists, international spy networks, saboteurs, arms and drug
smugglers, establishing one of the most powerful narcotics, weapons and
ideological warfare centers on Pakistani soil. Both superpowers pumped in
their men and machines, to influence the course of war in Afghanistan.
Religious extremists from all parts of the world were grouped together on
Pakistani territory to thwart the ideological hegemony of communism. He added
that Pakistan must ensure its Central Asian neighbors that it harbors no ill
will against them, carries no territorial or political ambitions whatsoever in
that direction. Pakistan should also identify its areas of friction with
Russia, as there is no inevitable reason for future antagonism. Russia could
use its role in Asia to ease tension between India and Pakistan on the thorny
question of Kashmir and thus take a lead as peace broker of the region. 

Gao Rongzhee from the
faculty of social sciences of the Sinkiang university gave a general analysis
on China’s Sinkiang issue. He noted China’s concern that continued civil
war in Afghanistan exported religious extremism in various directions
including Sinkiang, associated with drug trafficking. He further made it clear
that the government of the PRC has been following a policy of openness in
Sinkiang province and that investors from 58 countries invested their capital
in this economically vital zone of China. 

Dr. Andreas Rieck of
the Orient Institute in Hamburg discussed Russian policy towards Afghanistan
since 1992. He tried to answer the question, whether Russia was defending a
lost cause? He stated that contrary to the 1980’s we find Russia today in
basic agreement with most states having interests in Central Asia. Dr. Rieck
concluded that it would be premature to say that Russia is defending a lost
cause in Afghanistan, although the military position of its allies has become
steadily weakened during the last five years.

Dr. Vladimir Boyko from
Russia addressed the same issue, and said that in this point in time Russian
policy towards the Central Asian region was overwhelmingly economically
oriented in nature. He said that the Taliban factor in Afghanistan was more
social than religious in its make-up. He said that the opinion of newspapers
and periodicals in Russia varies from supporting to opposing the Taliban. He
stressed the need of reviewing the situation and setting the approach in
proper direction. 

Dr. Azmat in a paper on
‘pipeline diplomacy: costs and benefits’ said the global politics of
energy divert oil and gas from one region to another. He said that the 20th
century was dominated by oil but that gas would dominate the 21st. He noted
the importance of pipeline routes of Central Asian gas, and that it will make
economic sense for both India and Pakistan to expedite arrangements for the
gas pipelines from Turkmenistan, Iran and Qatar. India can not ignore the fact
that Pakistan is an important energy transportation corridor and Pakistan
should use this strategic asset to open up the Indian market for all these
countries and benefit itself by reaping transit fees and cheaper gas prices
for its own consumers. The price at which the Turkmen gas would be available
to Pakistan at Multan was far cheaper than the gas being produced in the
country. Pakistan has offered its port Gwadar to Turkmenistan to export gas to
the rest of South Asia, and to Uzbekistan to export oil. Pakistan’s total
gross benefit would come to around $6 billion which would give a tremendous
boost to its economy and once Pakistan becomes economically stable it will
play a big role in the stability and progress of the region.

Mr. Bairam Klychmomedov,
from the foreign ministry of Turkmenistan  presented his paper on the
neutrality of Turkmenistan as a factor of stability in Central Asia. He said
that permanent neutrality remains a cornerstone principle and essence of
Turkmenistan’s foreign policy. Turkmenistan continues to favor a
multi-optional approach on the development of the international energy
pipeline infrastructure. This infrastructure would create conditions for a
sustainable development of exporter states, transit states and
importer-states. He further stated that Turkmenistan was convinced that a
universal and comprehensive progress of mankind should not be defined by the
dictate of one model. But through diversity and cohesion of ideas and
philosophies, the development of relations with neighboring states is a
priority for Turkmenistan. In foreign economic strategy, a policy of ‘open
doors’ will be continued. Historically being at the crossroads from east to
west and from north to south, the Turkmen nation acquired elements of the
oriental and occidental cultures. A tolerant attitude towards different
cultures, philosophies, religions and ideologies became an intrinsic part of
its national character. On the issue of the Caspian sea, he said that it
should become the Sea of Accord and its resources should become the
assets of all the littoral states with each state being entitled to an
appropriate share of the sea.

Dr. Baber Shah of the
Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad evaluated Afghanistan under the
Taliban. He was of the opinion that for the first time in the past
two-decades, peace and a massive de-weaponization had been achieved by the
Taliban. Dr. Sarfraz khan, from Peshawar university spoke on stereotypes and
idiosyncrasies affecting Pakistan-Russia relations. He said that time had come
for both countries to establish bilateral relations on concrete footings.
Prof. Abdullah Jan Khalil discussed the national character of the Afghan
nation and the origin and evolution of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan.
Finally, the seminar was concluded by  Prof.
Dr. Qasim Jan, Vice Chancellor of Peshawar university.

Dr.
Zahid Anwar,
Center for Russian and Central Asian Area Studies, University of Peshawar,
Pakistan.