ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s view on Afghanistan has been vindicated with the United States finally understanding that the road to peace is through negotiations with all stakeholders and not hard power, Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary Tehmina Janjua said on Tuesday in her inaugural address at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI)’s international conference titled Conflict & Cooperation in South Asia – Role of Major Powers. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua stressed that India has held South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) hostage and become a hurdle in the way of hosting SAARC Summit in Pakistan. While highlighting the strength of Pakistan’s ties with all global powers, she said that Pak-Sino relations are exemplary which received a boost by the recent high-level visit to China. Reiterating the policy towards India, Tehmina Janjua said that Pakistan is willing to resolve all issues, including Kashmir on the negotiation table. She further said a solution to the Afghan conflict is highly imperative and Pakistan is in favour of dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban. “Pakistan has always been there and ready to help Afghanistan in its struggle for peace, but the ultimate responsibility for that rests with the people and government of Afghanistan,” she said. “However, the increasing violence, expanding influence of Daesh, growing ungoverned spaces, all result in an unstable environment which is alarming for Pakistan and other neighbours. It also raises concerns at regional and international levels. Pakistan strives to maintain friendly ties with its neighbours and strengthen our connectivity with the region in line with the vision of our leadership. Our efforts are, therefore, geared towards ensuring positive engagement with all our neighbours with the aim of developing a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan and the region,” she concluded. Delivering his keynote address on role of Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) in the Development of South Asian Region, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said that the BRI had reached its fifth anniversary since its announcement in 2013. “Since then, China has concluded more than 100 agreements, created a quarter million jobs, with rate of return on investment at 20 percent,” he said and outlined that under Pakistan’s new leadership, both China and Pakistan have agreed to further enlarge and broaden the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and improve social sector development and trade cooperation. CPEC could become an example for future community building and more resources for development. Ambassador Yao Jing lamented that South Asia is still facing numerous security challenges like the conflict in Afghanistan. However, he was hopeful that with China as the biggest trade partner and largest foreign direct investor, South Asia has entered an era of opportunity where all countries are now aspiring for peace, development and cooperation. Yao Jing concluded that given the historical ties between South Asia and China dating back 2,000 years, China is a natural partner for the region. In the first session on Role of Major Powers in South Asia, chaired by Ambassador (r) Shahid Kiani and Quaid-i-Azam School of Politics & International Relations Dr Ahmed Ijaz Malik stressed that the nature of post-Cold War multipolarity demands that the US should reassess its interests and engage with the other greater powers and regional states, especially towards conflict resolution and promotion of regional trade. “The evidences of multipolarity in current international relations accentuate the need for minimising incidents of war, promoting negotiations to resolve conflicts and initiating trade between developing states. The options for negotiation, conflict resolution and regional multilateral trade in South Asia will work if major powers such as US, China and Russia exercise their influence in initiation of trade-related negotiations between South Asian states as well as global financial and trade regulating institutions,” he concluded. Looking at Russia and its president Vladimir Putin’s Look East Policy, National University of Sciences & Technology Centre for International Peace & Stability Assistant Professor Dr Najamudin Ayoola outlined that Moscow’s increasing romance with South Asian countries is not an isolated development, but resonates with its National Security Strategy, Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation and Maritime Doctrine. However, he cautioned that striking a balance between New Delhi and Islamabad will be problematic for Moscow, just as it has been for Washington. “Russia’s Look East policy in South Asia will be selective and country-specific. Moscow will not compromise its relations with one country for another, rather it will be driven by need, necessity and priority,” he opined. Published in Daily Times, December 12th 2018.