Trilateral Dialogue Stresses Regional Approach to Counter Challenges

Lahore: A collective regional approach toward countering issues and meeting challenges was emphasized by diplomats, scholars and researchers Sunday on the opening day of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue here.

In his keynote address Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said: “Cooperation between China, Afghanistan and Pakistan will benefit the region.” He emphasized: “Building mutual trust and friendly consultations between the two countries should be encouraged to promote cooperation.”

Thanking Pakistan-China Institute Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and German political foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Pakistan, Resident Representative Ronny Heine for jointly organizing the two-day international conference, Ambassador Weidong said both Afghanistan and Pakistan are close neighboring countries and are good neighbors to China.

“It’s timely and important Conference,” Ambassador of Afghanistan Janan Musa Musazai said while thanking Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for organizing the dialogue. “We look forward to welcoming the next round of trilateral dialogue in Afghanistan,” Ambassador Musazai added in response to Chairman Pakistan-China Institute Senator Sayed’s earlier announcement regarding the next trilateral conference in Kabul.

The first round of the trilateral dialogue was held in Beijing in 2013. After this going conference the third session of Trilateral Dialogue will be held in Afghanistan.

Adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs and National Security, Sartaj Aziz will address the concluding session of the Conference on Monday.

“Its unique opportunity”, Afghan envoy said: “for us to extend cooperation and tackle common threats and challenges together” and achieve common goal of “security, stability and prosperity.”

Ambassador Sun Weidong emphasized: “Building mutual trust and friendly consultations between the two countries should be encouraged to promote cooperation.”

Assuring cooperation in all avenues while highlighting three key threats – “terrorism, extremism and narcotics”, Chinese envoy emphasized: “China is also ready to extend cooperation in this regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Highlighting the need to uphold the “sovereignty, integrity and security” of Afghanistan, Ambassador Weidong welcomed international community to help Afghanistan improve its security situation.

“China believes that national reconciliation is inevitable for Afghanistan to achieve its objectives,” the Chinese envoy stressed saying that China is traditionally friendly neighbor of Afghanistan, and “It respects independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.”

China is biggest neighbor to both Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Weidong said: “China is devoted for the early settlement of Afghan issue. We have taken an active part.”

The Afghan envoy was grateful that President Mamnoon Hussain attended Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s ceremony of ascending to his office and to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security, Sartaj Aziz who is currently visiting Kabul.

Ambassador Musazai said: “Afghanistan and Pakistan are natural friends and partners joined by inseparable bonds.” He also talked about building, Peshawar-Jalalabad and Chaman-Qandhar railways lines to bring both countries further closer.

According credit to former Afghan President Hamed Karzai, the envoy said Karzai government laid foundation to lasting friendship with China, which is the largest investor in Afghanistan.  Ambassador Musazai said the new government in Afghanistan will further develop the three main key policy objectives that continuing for past 13 years: transforming Afghanistan from a failed state to functioning democracy; broadening and strengthening relations in the region; and working with closet neighbors in strengthening the bilateral and multilateral relations.

Earlier, in his welcome address Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said: “Our destinies are interlinked”, adding with NATO and the United States receding in the region, “The destinies of Asia should be decided by Asians.”

Highlighting Germany’s role in developing Afghanistan, Senator Sayed said: “Germany has good vision for Asia.” The Pakistan-China Institute Chairman added: “In two days we will have good brainstorming and would come up with specific policy recommendations which would be doable and promote cooperation amongst the three neighbors in concrete areas.”

Thanking Senator Mushahid Hussain for taking the initiative in holding the Conference, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Resident Representative in Pakistan, Ronny Heine said: “China, Afghanistan and Pakistan can play an effective role, as key events are taking place in the emerging Afghanistan.”

The session reviewing the current outlook for Afghanistan was chaired by Prof. Li Xiguang, Director Pakistan Study Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing. Presenting Afghan perspective Dr. Farouq Azam, Chairman, Movement for Peaceful Transformation of Afghanistan said the new relations with China will create a new look in relations with Pakistan. Both countries will give a new prosperous phase to the region, “let us act now,” Dr. Farouq Azam said.

Eminent scholar and political analyst Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi observed that there is greater potential for increasing cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “They cannot function in isolation”, Dr. Rizvi emphasized need for developing economic power and societal linkages, which are very strong between both the countries.

Presenting NATO perspective, Director School of Politics & International Relations at Quaid-e-Azam University, Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal highlighted an emerging opportunity for both Afghanistan and Pakistan with a reduced American presence in the region.

The session on Changing Regional Context was chaired by Ambassador Khalid Mehmood, Chairman, Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad. In presentation on Cooperation in Countering Terrorism, Amir Rana, Director Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) raised a question as how to deal with regrouping of militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Speaking on economic integration of the region, Ms. Li Qingyan, Asst. Research Fellow at Department of International Strategic Studies, China Institute of International Studies said South Asia is undergoing political and economic transformation, and “economic development and mutual prosperity are common goals of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In his paper Brig. Dr. Muhammad Khan of National Defence University (NDU) reviewed the role of Russia, India and Central Asia in the context of Afghanistan.