We Want Peace and Understanding between Various Parties of Pakistan which do not Agree with One Another

Interview with Tajik Ambassador HE Zubaydullo N. Zubaydov

Jahangir’s World Times: How do you comment on the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan?

HE Zubaydov N. Zubaydov: We are enjoying cordial relations with Pakistan. Our relationship is good and growing further. But this is not satisfactory for us because it is not as good as the political relations between the two countries. We have a proposal of trade agreement between Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan and would discuss at the sideline of fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference for Afghanistan (RECCA) conference to be held on 26th and 27th March this year. We want that Tajik trucks should travel to Pakistan without any problem and similarly, Pakistani trucks may move easily to Tajikistan without any problem. When trade grows, relationship will be further strengthened. There is good news for businessmen that during the visit of President Zardari to Dushanbe to attend RECCA, National Bank of Pakistan decided to open its branches in Dushanbe. This will support business community as they can open their accounts and transfer their amounts. Probably, there will be a direct flight of Tajik Air between Islamabad and Dushanbe during the first week of April. This will be one more step for promoting relations and trade between the two countries.

JWT: Tajikistan is organizing fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference’ for Afghanistan. What are objectives?

HE Zubaydov: Peace in Afghanistan is very important for peace in the region. And for peace in Afghanistan, regional countries participation is also very important. The President of Tajiksitan Imam Ali Rehmon always emphasizes the role of regional countries to ensuring peace in Afghanistan. The fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan will be held in Dushanbe on 26-27 March, 2012. It will be attended by 40 countries of the world. We are grateful that Presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to attend the conference.  All sides will look into how best they can cooperate to ensure reconstruction and economic stability inside Afghanistan.

The objective of the conference will be to look into different scenarios as to how to improve security, electric supply, transmission lines, mining and industrial process in Afghanistan. We feel these projects are crucially important for peace in Afghanistan.

In engaging business leaders, senior government officials, civil society representatives, artists, and scholars, the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, presents an opportunity to translate the vision of a more stable and prosperous region through a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

The over-arching goal of regional cooperation in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) is to contribute to regional stability and prosperity by restoring Afghanistan’s central role as a land bridge ‘between Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East’ for the exchange of commerce, culture, and ideas. RECCA V will deepen this regional cooperation agenda by focusing attention on: i) Achieving Economic Development through Building Infrastructure (Transport and Energy); ii) Developing Human Resources though the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training; and iii) Advancing Investment, Trade, Transit, and Border Management through Cooperation between National and International Authorities.

JWT: As you talked about Presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan attending the RECCA conference, whether there will be any trilateral meeting between troika?

HE Zubaydov: We will be honoured to receive President Asif Ali Zardari and Hamid Karzai for RECCA as well as for Jashan-e-Nauroz. There will be bilateral talks between Presidents of Pakistan and Tajiksitan as well as a trilateral summit between the Presidents of Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

JWT: Pakistan and Tajikistan are clubbed together in a quadrilateral mechanism along with Russia and Afghanistan? What progress has been achieved on this platform?

HE Zubaydov: This mechanism is very important for the region as well as for Afghanistan. For quadrilateral mechanism, the proposal was made by our President Emamali Rahmon and the first two summits were held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The third quadrilateral summit is scheduled to be held this year in Islamabad. The forthcoming quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad will be very important because Russia has stated many times its interest for cooperating in restoration of peace in Afghanistan. All of us need to devise different mechanisms for brining peace and tranquility in Afghanistan.

JWT: When is the third quadrilateral summit between Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Afghanistan being held in Pakistan?

HE Zubaydov: It is expected that the third quadrilateral summit will be held in Islamabad in September this year. All these countries are trying to cooperate with each other against terrorism and drug trafficking as well as bringing peace and development in the region.

JWT: Russia promised to provide financial contribution for CASA-1000 projects connecting Central Asia with South Asia in terms of electricity transmission. What is the latest now?

HE Zubaydov: Yes, it is true that Russia has shown financial contribution of $500 million for CASA-1000 project. The said projects will connect Central Asia with South Asia by provision of electricity. We are already providing 300 MW of electricity to Afghanistan; we are trying to bring, on the same transmission lines, 1000 MW electricity to Pakistan. Our four countries have already established a joint commission which is working in this direction.

JWT: There has been a lot of talk about regional connectivity whenever there have been discussions on the issue of regional cooperation. What is the progress so far?

HE Zubaydov: Without good trade, there cannot be good relations between the countries. Therefore, we are trying our best to open roads through Wakhan corridor between Pakistan and Tajikistan. This is one of the projects related to connectivity. Secondly, there is a railway connectivity project between Pakistan and Afghanistan. As we know, a delegation of Pakistan railways will attend the RECCA meeting and avenues for cooperation will be discussed.

JWT:What message you would like to communicate to the people of Pakistan?

HE: Zubaydov:First of all, I wish all the best to the people and nation of Pakistan. We want peace and understanding between various parties here who do not agree with each other. Pakistan is very important country not only for Tajikistan but for regional peace.