Islamabad Trilateral Dialogue concludes with more hope,help for Afghanistan
Source : Pakistan China Institute Date : 20-10-2014 By : PCI Reporter
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ISLAMABAD,Oct 20: Adviser to Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs & National Security, Sartaj Aziz Monday underlined: “There is hope and optimism in Afghanistan.”
Addressing the concluding session of two-day China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Dialogue, arranged by Pakistan-China Institute, in collaboration with Konrad Adeneaur Stiftung (KAS), here, Sartaj Aziz who has just returned from a trip to Kabul observed that success of elections and formation of new government in Afghanistan is a positive step.
“Afghanistan is fortunate to have the leadership and vision to bring transformation in the country” Sartaj Aziz said, adding Afghan President “Ashraf Ghani’s vision is for a prosperous Afghanistan.”
“I shared with him Pakistan’s own decision for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s adviser said. Talking about his recent meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Mr. Aziz said: “I also shared Prime Minister’s vision and agenda of economic development.”
The veteran politician Sartaj Aziz warned: “No repeat of 1990s, nor would there any economic vacuum be allowed in Afghanistan.”
Praising holding of the Trilateral Dialogue, Sartaj Aziz presented special thanks to Pakistan-China Institute Chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed for taking the initiative for such first of a kind dialogue as well as to Ronny Heine, Resident Representative of the German political foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) for supporting this international conference.
The Adviser on Foreign Affairs & National Security said: “The dialogue program is quite comprehensive covering a wide range of issue.” He said: “Pakistan-China Institute has very fast evolved into a vibrant institute.”
Earlier, Ambassador Riaz Khokar said this process (of dialogue) is fundamental to both peace and stability in the region. In this special address Ambassador Rustam Shah Mohmand said its time that both India and Pakistan should enter into dialogue to determine “what should be there role in Afghanistan, so there would be no proxy wars in the region.”
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said: “The purpose isn’t only academic discussion” but to come up with some practical recommendation as a way forward. “These are very practical and doable recommendations.”
Five-point Recommendations presented by Pakistan-China Institute Executive Director, Mustafa Hyder Sayed, for Way Forward in cooperation between China, Afghanistan & Pakistan at conclusion of two-day Trilateral Dialogue encompassing:
a) Trilateral Dialogue, conceived, planned & launched by the Pakistan China Institute, has now been institutionalized with the Islamabad Trilateral Dialogue; the first held in Beijing in August 2013, and Insha’Allah, in 2015, the Trilateral Dialogue will convene in Kabul, Afghanistan, at a mutually convenient date.
b) Joint Trilateral Counter Terrorism Task Force be established between the three neighbors, to share information, intelligence, coordinate policy and strategy to combat terrorism, which should meet quarterly in rotation in each of the three countries capitals.
c) Joint Trilateral Task Force for promoting the Central Asia Economic Belt and Pakistan-China Economic Corridor, to include the three neighbors, with projects which can be of mutual benefit to the communities along the Corridor and peoples of the three countries. Trilateral Business Council, involving the private sectors, be established to promote this.
d) Joint Trilateral Youth Summer Camps of students and youth of the three neighbors to assemble by rotation in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, Xinjiang province in China and the Wakhan region of Afghanistan.
e) Trilateral Media Conference to be convened annually to promote communication and better understanding amongst print, electronic and Social Media, including Bloggers, of China, Afghanistan & Pakistan, with training workshops and joint reporting initiatives about each other's countries reinforced by regular exchanges of journalists.
Earlier, perspectives of the three participating countries China, Afghanistan and Pakistan were respectively presented by Senator Akram Zaki, former ambassador to China; Dr. Ghairat Baheer, an eminent public figure from Afghanistan, and Major General Noel Khokar, Director General, ISSRA, National Defence University (NDU). This session was chaired by veteran diplomat Dr. Ross Masood Hussain, Chairman, Strategic Vision Institute, Islamabad.
Presenting Pakistani perspective, Major Gen. Noel Khokar, Director General, ISSRA at National Defence University pointed at the going operation against terrorism in the northwest of Pakistan as “Zarb-e-Asb demonstrate amply Pakistan resolve to peace.”
Appreciating China’s role in improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan that can help remove mistrust, General Khokar stressed the “need for increasing dialogue with institutes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
Dr. Davood Moradian, Director General, Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, Kabul, who chaired session on Trilateral Cooperation on Afghanistan underlined: “Threat of terrorism has united us.” Speaking on Securing Borders, Ambassador Ali Sarwar Naqvi observed there is “no joint mechanism to deal with terrorism” and there are doubts and suspicions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Welcoming China’s interest in Afghan peace process, eminent journalist and Executive Director, Center for Research and Security Studies, Imtiaz Gul commented on the Peace Process in Afghanistan as a “very tight rope walk for the new government in Kabul,” and recommended: “Let Afghans decide their fate.” Talking about securing linkages, Prof. Li Xiguang, Director Pakistan Study Center, Tsinghua University, elaborated on Securing Linkages: Silk Road Economic Zone, Pak-China Economic Corridor & Central Asia Economic Belt.
The first round of Trilateral Dialogue was held in Beijing last year and the third round of this international conference will be held in Kabul next year.