Diplomatic Round Up

The echo of Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s visit to India and her talks with the Indian counterpart Mr S. M. Krishna on July 27 was quite audible in the month of August.

The month of August saw a hectic diplomatic activity in Islamabad as Pakistan was seen fully engaged in its diplomatic pursuits on all fronts. The engagements with the United States, China, India, Afghanistan, and the UK etc were witnessed.

Pakistan also remained engaged with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at the highest level as President Asif Zardari paid a visit to Bahrain while Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani visited Saudi Arabia during the month of August.

The echo of Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s visit to India and her talks with the Indian counterpart Mr S. M. Krishna on July 27 was quite audible in the month of August. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar announced in the National Assembly on 9th August that Pakistan wanted a new chapter in its relations with India. She further elaborated that the Government made a special effort since coming to power to reach out to all our neighbours, especially those with whom we have had some difficulties and that the same policy is reflected in our outreach to Afghanistan and India. This was the policy statement with regard to the talks held on July 27 in New Delhi wherein Foreign Minister Khar led Pakistani delegation. The contentions of Foreign Minister Khar are by no means exaggerations. I was in Delhi during her visit for the purpose of covering these talks for AAJ TV and experienced myself how these talks were far different from the similar rounds held in the past. The atmospherics were unprecedented, the body language and the language used during the meetings were unimaginable, given the traditional rivalry between the two countries. For a long time, Pakistan and India have been speaking against each other. To me, the two countries spoke to each other during Hina Rabbani Khar’s meetings in Delhi. The two countries have set up a direction for themselves to follow.

The feel-good-factor generated in meetings between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Thimpu and Mohali was also visible at an Iftar Dinner hosted by the Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabarwal on August 18 in Islamabad. Every one who is who in Islamabad and invited by the High Commissioner Sharat Sabarwal turned up for the event. Half a dozen federal ministers, representatives from PML-N, PML-Q, PML-Q (like minded), ANP, MQM and other political parties poured into the event. And the High Commissioner HE Sabarwal in his message to Pakistan through media reiterated that India wanted cooperative relations with Pakistan.

A parliamentary delegation from Pakistan comprising senior parliamentarians from almost political parties also visited India and took part in parliamentary dialogue with their Indian counterparts in Delhi. It will be a good omen for peace if the parliaments in the two countries take political ownership to the pursuits of peace between India and Pakistan.

The month of August witnessed continuation of a ‘rough patch’ in relationship between Pakistan and the United States. The visit of senior republican leader Senator John McCain to Pakistan and a telephone call by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar did cause little melting of the ice. The issue dominated in August remained movements of the US diplomats inside Pakistan. Resultantly, Pakistan issued an `updated’ Circular on Movement of Diplomats in the third week of August which was obviously for all diplomatic community staying in Pakistan. The results of the `updated’ circular on the bilateral relations will be seen in the coming weeks and months.

On the question of Afghanistan, the two countries, however, remained engaged with each other at the platform of trilateral Core Group of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States. The Core Groups held in 4th meeting in Afghanistan in the beginning of August in Islamabad on peace and security as well as reconciliation process inside Afghanistan. The US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Mark Grossman, Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Javed Ludin and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir led their respective delegation. After the formal session, Pakistan reiterated its support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process; the United States announced its similar support; while Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister voiced urgency and asked for stepped efforts for political reconciliation.

The month of August also brought a message of caution viz-a-viz Pakistan’s relations with China. The recent events in the ancient Chinese city of Kashgar and local leaders in Kashgar talking of terrorists getting training inside Pakistan must be an eye opener for Pakistani authorities. This claim was reproduced in the semi-official English-language China Daily of Aug 2 which said ‘the leaders of the group learned terrorist techniques in Etim Camps in Pakistan before they penetrated into Xinjiang. There is no doubt about Pakistan’s successful hunt of ETIM activists but their very presence on Pakistan’s soil must be equally a matter of concern. However, it is heartening to note that, in an unprecedented comment, the ISPR chief, Maj Gen Athar Abbas, underlined on Aug 5, that ‘Pakistan Army have been and would continue operations against Etim, and our cooperation (with China) in the field of operations and intelligence will continue against the common threat of terrorism’. Equally encouraging is the fact that the head of ISI has visited China twice in five weeks to adequately address any concerns.

For Pakistan, its leadership and its people, this is not tolerable. A handful of terrorists cannot be allowed to damage and derail historical friendship. Pakistan has to act to preserve its interests underlined in friendship with China. To save its interests and nurture friendship with China, Pakistan has to act against the terrorists.

Pakistan cannot remain unconcerned to the developments taking in the Middle East. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani undertook a trip to Saudi Arabia in a follow up visit of President Asif Zardari. President Zardari has been to Iran and Saudi Arabia and went to Bahrain on August 17 for larger peace in the Middle East. The message from Pakistan is very clear: political stability and no foreign intervention in internal affairs of the Middle East.