Russia warms to Pakistan as opportunity knocks all over Asia

[somebozo]

With Modi talk to the bullet policy you cannot expect India to be a will wisher in Pakistan economic and diplomatic rise..force is the right way to talk to Indians and Nawazu is just being a wimp..the right answer to border violation is to fire back with heavy artillery and destroy the forward posts..

Strong economy is complimented by strong military...

Good article. Was joy to read.

-In my oppinion, Pakistan should increase bileteral cooperation with Russia in all fields, busiess, science, politics, defence, sports, cultural etc etc

- Continue the good relationship with China.
- Improve relationship with Iran to excellent level.
- Continue the good relationship with middle estern countries.
- Maintain good ties with Turkey, Indonesia & Malaysia
- Improve ties with Central Asia
- Improve/Mantain its good relationship with Europe.
- Regarding USA Pakistan should put its relationship on nuteral line. Do business as normal, nothing more. USA is a country which has twice before left Pakistan .

- Regarding India i support president Nawaz Sharif line, do business & improve relationship, but work towards sollution regarding Kashmir issu. Build a strong defence, but avoid war. Enforce border post in Sialkot , Lahore, Multan , Sindg and Kashmir


Pakistan should avoid wars and conflicts and put its house in order on fast track. Build strong & stable institutions and goverment regulatory bodies , which works as watch dog when irregularities & corruptions happens.

My belive is that other countries will want to interact with Pakistan on completly different level when Pakistan is strong, & stable country , not a mess like it is now in every field.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Exactly. The West has shot itself in the foot. By isolating Russia and slapping sanction on them, they've driven Russia and China closer. Seems like a foolish move by the West but we have to remember that the Cold War era was big business for the defense industry in the West. The defense industry are loving it right now. It's a dream come true.

Why does the West have to do something inorder for this to happen? Sounds like it could have happened on its own.

 

[Kaniska]

CPEC is a global game changer..it will connect many powers and many regimes...eventually becoming a back bone of regional economy....

Exactly...Think about a situation, if you guys would not have joined useless Afgan war in 1980' and provided much needed port needed port access to Russia at that time, the world history and in specific, Pakistan would have been completely different league in 2015...But it is good that finally you understood the importance of people around you are needed more..

I also wish one day, India, China and Pakistan will behave more sensible way where ecomomic necessity of our nation should be taken more seriously rather than decade old hostility...21st century is for people of Asia..But it is a matter of time, if we are ready to grab the opportunity or not.. Engage with Russia not just to get some fighter jet, rather think more pro actively in a long term point of view. Engage with Russia in more broad based way...I wish good luck to you people..

 

[Khanivore]

Why does the West have to do something inorder for this to happen? Sounds like it could have happened on its own.

Too much for me to go into detail or I'll be typing here forever but over the years the Russians have been watching with alarm how...

1. the Middle East has been ravaged
   
2. NATO breaking promise and expanding by absorbing ex-Soviet states into its fold
   
3. US/NATO installing advanced anti-missile systems in those ex-Soviet states near Russian border despite Russian protest
4. NATO deployed in the the Balkans and Central Asian Republics
5. NATO in Afghanistan
6. US spent $5 Billion to support the opposition/cause the mess in Ukraine
   
7. USCENTCOM expanding globally

That's what I can recall from the top of my memory. So much has happened. So much is happening. I'm just an amateur observer whose been watching since 1991 so don't take me for some "expert" on my little knowledge.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

d

1. NATO breaking promise and expanding by absorbing ex-Soviet states into its fold

You are propagating a myth:

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_111767.htm#cl303

Claim: NATO leaders promised at the time of German reunification that the Alliance would not expand to the East

Fact: No such promise was ever made, and Russia has never produced any evidence to back up its claim.

Every formal decision which NATO takes is adopted by consensus and recorded in writing. There is no written record of any such decision having been taken by the Alliance: therefore, no such promise can have been made.

Moreover, at the time of the alleged promise, the Warsaw Pact still existed. Its members did not agree on its dissolution until 1991. Therefore, it is not plausible to suggest that the idea of their accession to NATO was on the agenda in 1989.

This was confirmed by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev himself. This is what Mr Gorbachev said on 15 October 2014 in an interview with Rossiiskaya Gazeta and Russia Beyond The Headlines:

"The topic of 'NATO expansion' was not discussed at all, and it wasn't brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility. Not a single Eastern European country raised the issue, not even after the Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991. Western leaders didn't bring it up, either."

 

[Zarvan]

CPEC will change everything but now time has come Pakistan starts thinking of becoming global power both militarily and economy wise

 

[somebozo]

Situation back in 80s was much different and Russians had a high degree of arrogance towards Pakistan - which they admit and regret to date - with Soviet aligned Afghanistan and India on its two side Pakistan was poised to become crushed in a "soviet jaw"...the situation was exaggerated by number of reasons.. Pakistan did make a peacefull offer to Russian for access to warm waters which was arrogantly rejected and Pakistan was told that it was not "equal" to India in dealing with the Soviets...

Zia termination of failed Bhutto government and the empowerment of communist and socialist politicians during Bhutto regime created a ripe situation for Soviet interference in Pakistan and they did conduct a number of covert ops via communist aligned parties in Pakistan...The time for Soviet interference for "then and now" or never...For the Soviet..it was saving another potential ally..since Bhutto was in close partnership with Soviet Union.

Bhutto's premature withdrawal from CENTO and SEATO emboldened Soviet ambitions in the region...

Combined with bitter experience of Socialism and disillusionment with Bhutto, there was wide ranging popularity for Zia and prevalent public sentiments of hate against the soviets. And in a choice between two lefts, the public eventually fell in favour towards the Islamist as a force against the socialist..the so-called "Afghan Jihad" had very high approval rating among the public..

If there is one this which has completely destroyed Pakistan is political leftism..be it in the form of socialism, communism, Marxist parties, Islamism, etc...

What Pakistan did in the Afghan Jihad was it fought a slow and painful war of its own survival in a sea full of soviet crocodiles..the United States join in the efforts later with financial and material aid...

Exactly...Think about a situation, if you guys would not have joined useless Afgan war in 1980' and provided much needed port needed port access to Russia at that time, the world history and in specific, Pakistan would have been completely different league in 2015...But it is good that finally you understood the importance of people around you are needed more..

I also wish one day, India, China and Pakistan will behave more sensible way where ecomomic necessity of our nation should be taken more seriously rather than decade old hostility...21st century is for people of Asia..But it is a matter of time, if we are ready to grab the opportunity or not.. Engage with Russia not just to get some fighter jet, rather think more pro actively in a long term point of view. Engage with Russia in more broad based way...I wish good luck to you people..

CPEC will change everything but now time has come Pakistan starts thinking of becoming global power both militarily and economy wise

Strong economy is complimented by strong military...and the prime goal of a military is to protect economic interests..

 

[Menace2Society]

Uncle Sam is a poisoned chalice for Pakistan. From inducing regime changes (Zia legacy) and a total failure of a military campaign in Afghanistan which did nothing to suppress militancy and exacerbated it to the point where Pakistan suffered the fallout and terrorism spread into their borders. Inability to acknowledge and share wins and quick to take credit for other peoples endeavors.

US sincerity is skin deep and it shows. They would be happy to see Pakistan crumble for their own selfish desires and play carrot and stick with Pakistan which is patronizing to say the least. This might work with lesser nations but Pakistanis are self introspecting with lofty worldly ambitions which extends into being a valued part of the world community.

Pak-China-Russia relationship will ensure equality and mutual respect reigns supreme in the region all sharing common goals of a equilibrium of peace whilst understanding the delicate dynamics of each other.

Pakistan should keep US at arms length because we are capable of more than just being a toy for their congress to play around with. We think and we dream big and we deserve a healthy relationship.

 

[RIP Pak LAW]

CPEC will change everything but now time has come Pakistan starts thinking of becoming global power both militarily and economy wise

LOL ! lets come back to the earth from sky bro.
Anyways CPEC is a good opportunity for Pakistan to progress economically.

 

[Khanivore]

You are propagating a myth:

Well let me reword it then: NATO should not have expanded towards Russian borders. Clearly the Russians are perplexed.

In any case, the Russians strongly disagree with NATO's denial of an agreement not to expand.

Mikhail Gorbachev’s statement quoted by Rossiyskaya Gazeta and used as quote by NATO was only quoted partly. They forgot about the other, more substantial section (see below in full):

“Another issue we brought up was discussed: making sure that NATO’s military structures would not advance and that additional armed forces from the alliance would not be deployed on the territory of the then-GDR after German reunification. Baker’s statement, mentioned in your question, was made in that context. Kohl and Genscher talked about it.

“Everything that could have been and needed to be done to solidify that political obligation was done. And fulfilled. The agreement on a final settlement with Germany said that no new military structures would be created in the eastern part of the country; no additional troops would be deployed; no weapons of mass destruction would be placed there. …

“The decision for the US and its allies to expand NATO into the east was decisively made in 1993. I called this a big mistake from the very beginning. It was definitely a violation of the spirit of the statements and assurances made to us in 1990. With regards to Germany, they were legally enshrined and are being observed.” -- Mikhail Gorbachev, 15 October 2014


"So a promise was made not to expand NATO. But the US and NATO have not kept it." -- Russian Institute for Strategic Studies

EDIT: Corrected this post with what Gorbachev actually said.

Can't they extend the one they have with China?

Sorry but that comment just made me chuckle. Nicely put. Now I know how Indians feel so left out.