Pakistan - Russia Strategic dialogue

[Windjammer]

Strategic dialogue: Russian delegation due this month – The Express Tribune

The meeting titled, “Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability” is the latest sign of growing ties between the two bitter cold war rivals.


ISLAMABAD :Senior officials from Pakistan and Russia will meet later this month as part of efforts to initiate promoting partnership on key regional and strategic issues, according to official sources in Islamabad.
The meeting titled, “Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability” is the latest sign of growing ties between the two bitter cold war rivals.
The Russian delegation, which is due in Islamabad by the end of April, will be led by its deputy foreign minister, said a foreign ministry official while requesting anonymity.
The official said discussions will focus on issues concerning arms control, nuclear disarmament, and non-proliferation. Afghanistan’s current situation will also be of primary concern.
Islamabad and Moscow remained bitter enemies in the 1980s when Pakistan along with other western countries backed the Afghan Mujahedeen in order to fight the Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
However, in recent years, both countries have made attempts to move beyond the cold-war era.
Pakistan’s foreign policy guidelines approved by the Parliament in 2011 in the wake of US secret raid to kill Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad had laid special emphasis on improving ties with Russia.
Last year, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani took a historic trip to Moscow suggesting realignments in the region. Recently, senior official from Pakistan, China and Russia met in Beijing and stressed the need towards a peaceful transition in Afghanistan.
The three countries agreed to make concrete efforts to safeguard peace, stability and security in Afghanistan, and support the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned,” reconciliation process.
They also agreed to support the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in playing a greater role on the Afghanistan issue and discuss increased cooperation on counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics within the framework of the Istanbul Process.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

Good development.

 

[qinglong-china]

Congratulations

 

[I-LEK]

endorse. this is a good direction

 

[A.Rafay]

This is really a good development! This strategic dialogue will strengthen our relations with Russia!

 

[I-LEK]

Good to have a foreign policy source on the forum......before the Yanks, Russians had already tried their luck in Afghanistan..... as for your terrorism blabber, if anything, Russia would be concerned about situation in Afghanistan than elsewhere.

you are right .. yes this is more so ..

 

[474474]

on no dem godless commiez!!!

 

[BehloolKayani]

This should be done very before.... Pakistan should neutralize the Russia factor as soon as possible thats what I believe GHQ is seriously thinking of....

 

[Devil Soul]

Pakistan, Russia warming up for strategic rounds: FO

April 12, 2013 Maqbool Malik

ISLAMABAD - Eight rounds of bilateral consultations between Pakistan and Russia will be held in Islamabad on April 25 with main focus on strategic issues including disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control issues and strategic stability in South Asia.

“We attach high importance to our relations with Russia”, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said in his weekly press briefing on Thursday, adding that situation in Afghanistan was not part of these consultations.

The spokesman said: “Pakistan is not a part of any scoring game on its nuclear programme and it is only for deterrence purposes. Pakistan, as a responsible nuclear weapon state, attaches high importance to the objectives of disarmament and non-proliferation, which can be advanced by ensuring equal security for all states.”

He noted that Pakistan strictly abides by the concept of credible minimum deterrence. “We have also instituted robust command and control structures, comprehensive export controls and effective regulatory regimes”, he added.

The spokesman said that during Chemical Weapons Convention in Hague, Pakistan had reiterated its commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention and highlighted the steps taken by Pakistan in preventing any misuse of toxic chemicals and promoting peaceful uses of chemistry. “We adopted the stance that all nations and countries should be de-weaponised without any discrimination".

When his attention was drawn towards maltreatment of overseas Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said that Pakistan took up the matter with the Saudi Authorities and the Pakistan counsel general visited the deportation camps and jails. Pakistan has also written a letter to Saudi King saying that Pakistanis are contributing to Saudi economy, he added.

Saudi Arabia has given a three months grace period to Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia to regularise their status, he said, adding that Pakistan Embassy there was in touch with Saudi Authorities to protect the interests of our people.

“We are heartened to note the announcement made by the Saudi government that it has given a three month grace period to all Pakistanis to fulfil their legal requirements. We do hope that we will be able to facilitate and protect the interests of Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia”, the spokesperson added.

Answering a question about travel advisory issued by the US State Department for its citizens‚ the spokesman said that Pakistan security situation got improved to a great deal and a number of visitors and investors were coming to the country.

Regarding European Union election observers’ decision of not travelling to Fata and Balochistan‚ he said it was their own decision.
The spokesperson said that besides the EU election observer mission, Pakistan had received requests from National Democratic Institute and Commonwealth Secretariat, adding that some countries including the United Kingdom, Turkey, United States, Malaysia, Australia, Mauritius, Japan and Maldives had also approached Islamabad to send their election observers.

“The requests are being processed under the established SOPs. Pakistan’s leadership and authorities concerned were determined to facilitate the holding of free, fair and transparent elections”, he said.

The spokesperson noted that the government had decided to welcome foreign election observers to witness the transparency of the electoral process. He said that the Interior Ministry would issue travel advisory to the observers. “According to the established procedure, the Ministry of Interior will give the foreign election observers security briefing”, the spokesperson added.

On Pak-Afghanistan relations, he admitted that there were challenges‚ but Pakistan and Afghan leadership were trying to resolve the issues. “Peaceful‚ stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan.”

On India’s concern about handing over of Gwadar Port to China, the spokesman said: “Pak-China relations are sources of strength and stability in the region and both the countries are time-tested friends.” He maintained growing Pak-Sino ties should not be a matter of concern for any country, adding that Gwadar Port is a bilateral matter.

On Pak-India ties, the spokesman said: “We have shown degree of responsibility and restraint on incidents of violations on the Line of Control and hostile statements by India.”

Regarding current status of Pakistan-US relations, he said: “We have regular contacts with the US at all levels and relationship is being advanced on the basis of mutual respect, dignity and mutuality of benefits.” He hoped that the new elected leadership in Pakistan would take the progress of Pak-US relations’ forward.

He said that Pakistan has shown concerns over the current tensions between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea and reiterated its longstanding call for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

“Pakistan shares the concern of international community on the recent tension and deteriorating situation in Korean Peninsula,” the spokesperson said.
Pakistan, Russia warming up for strategic rounds: FO

 

[Secur]

on no dem godless commiez!!!

The opiate of the masses - Karl Marx ...