Russia & Pakistan's Growing Engagement

[saad445566]

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At the end of the day, Kiyani will decide which direction to go to. I hope he does not accept American pay roll this time. We did the best one could ever do--.

[saad445566]

Putin's smile will change a lot of things...National integrity will not be sacrificed, be it Russia or Amrika. However, the fate has put Russia and Pakistan on the same boat. Hope both play the right cards..

[muse]

At the end of the day, Kiyani will decide which direction to go to.

I hope not because if that's the case, things are simply not going to get off the ground -- Kiyani is the most pro-US individual in the present set up. Anyways, I'm persuaded that he is not the final arbiter of anything, anymore. It will be the civilians, in fact the civilians project is rather impressive in scope and ambition.

[Luftwaffe]

Tinman....Are we talking about that russia we ruined ages ago that still mourns...How is it russians will ruin us let them first fix Chechnya.

There isn't much in terms of Military supply or deals except for hand full that russia already agreed to.

[Meengla]

A related piece by Patrick J. Buchannan.

The American Conservative » Vanishing American Footprint

Consider Pakistan. Today, that nation is red-faced that its military and intelligence services lied or did not know Osama was living in a mansion a mile from their West Point. And Pakistan is humiliated that U.S. commandos flew in by chopper at night, killed Osama in his compound, and made off with his body, computers and cell phones.

Relations are close to the breaking point. Mobs are burning American flags. Angry congressmen are talking of cutting off aid to Pakistan for disloyalty and duplicity in hiding bin Laden. Pakistanis are enraged Americans would trample on their sovereignty like that.

Even before Sunday’s killing of Osama, Pakistan’s prime minister had reportedly told Hamid Karzai in Kabul to let the Americans leave on schedule in 2014, and let Pakistan and China help him cut his deal with the Taliban. In the long run, this is likely to happen.

U.S. and NATO forces leave, the Taliban returns, and Pakistan moves into the orbit of China, which has far more cash — $3 trillion in foreign currency reserves — and more of a long-term interest in South Asia than a busted United States on the far side of the world.

The “Great Game” will go on in Afghanistan, but without Western players — only Iran, Russia, China, Pakistan and India.

[mikkix]

Tinman....Are we talking about that russia we ruined ages ago that still mourns...How is it russians will ruin us let them first fix Chechnya.

There isn't much in terms of Military supply or deals except for hand full that russia already agreed to.

Chachaniya is not the part of pakistan and it is not like baluchistan.
Its their internal or regional problem. Russia can do whatever they want untill and unless it hurts pakistan.

[saad445566]

The coming days are very important.

[somebozo]

We are learning how to play criss cross with world powers..no problems...USA against colonial britain, USA against expansionist USSR, Iran against KSA and now Russia against USA! well done Pak bureaucracy!

[Spring Onion]

Russia & Pakistan: New prospects
Andrey Budnik

Russian-Pakistani relations are on the rise. Since 2010 the intensity of bilateral contacts at all levels has increased significantly. In June our presidents Mr D A Medvedev and Mr A A Zardari met in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Then in August they held a substantial discussion in Sochi, where the heads of all countries of the “Four” including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan assembled together. Sochi agreements were logically followed by September’s substantial contacts of the ministers of foreign affairs held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s 65th session in New-York.

On November 25 Chairman of Government V V Putin and Prime Minister Y R Gilani had a separate meeting at the SCO Heads of Government Council in Dushanbe. On October 5-8 the Head of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Narcotics Control paid a visit to Islamabad to sign an agreement on cooperation in combating illicit drug trafficking. In January this year consultations on strategic stability issues at deputy ministers level were held successfully in Islamabad.

The intensification of our political contacts is not an accidental phenomenon – it is logically stipulated by growing understanding in Moscow and Islamabad that our countries have many common interests and objectives. First and foremost, it applies to providing regional security and stability, countering threats of terrorism and extremism in all forms and manifestations.


Along with our Pakistani partners we resolutely stand against illicit arms trade, drug trafficking, money laundering, cross-border organized crime. We hold detailed discussions on all these issues, particularly within the framework of the joint working group on countering international terrorism and other new challenges to international security.


Russia fully recognizes and appreciates the substantial contribution made by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the efforts of world community in this sphere. Thousands of Pakistani soldiers and officers, policemen and intelligence operatives sacrificed their lives while purging their country of terror hotbeds, proving with deeds the commitment of Pakistan to genuine Islamic and human values.

Russia attaches great importance to cooperation with Pakistan in the sphere of Afghan settlement. Instability in this country is our mutual concern. The success of efforts to elaborate optimum ways of reconstruction and reconciliation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is impossible to achieve without active interaction with states bordering it, and primarily Pakistan, because many problems of these two countries are closely intertwined.

Russian and Pakistani policy is characterized by recognition of the fact that the search of ways to settle current highly sophisticated conflict situation must not become the prerogative of solely external players. The participation of the regional community in this process is imperative.

Certainly, the Afghans themselves must make a major and crucial contribution to the settlement by strengthening the state that would maintain good-neighbourly relations with the circumjacent countries and carry out the policy of neutralism while not allowing any external interference in its internal affairs. There is no doubt that it is indispensable to guarantee full sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Both Russia and Pakistan substantially contribute to the economic development and reconstruction of the friendly state.

Regional security including settlement of the Afghan situation, struggle against terror and drug threat would undoubtedly be facilitated by normalizing the relationship between the two major South Asian states – India and Pakistan.


In this connection Moscow supports the resumption of political dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi. On the whole, Russia and Pakistan work productively within both international and regional formats. We adhere to similar or identical positions on major international issues including crisis management, formation of multipolar world order, strengthening of the United Nations’ role and authority as well as supremacy of international law. We have a lot of common interests in disarmament and non-proliferation sphere: we discuss these problems on a regular basis.


It does not mean that there are no differences between us. But most importantly, we discuss existing complex issues sincerely and in a practical way, respecting and not offending each other, thus promoting the atmosphere of healthy cooperation between our countries. We attach primary importance to the consolidating and integrating role of the SCO. This organization has lately become one of the most authoritative and influential in the region.


By now Pakistan enjoys the status of the SCO observer-state, but along with other candidates it has all the chances to become a full member of the organization. The real prospects of Islamabad’s contribution to the SCO activity – both in the sphere of solving security problems (within the framework of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) and in expanding economic cooperation – are already evident.

It would be proper to mention that being the largest transit state, Russia quite positively assesses Pakistan’s transit capabilities, whose importance is undoubtedly gaining ground in today’s interdependent world. In our opinion, the construction of transport and energy corridors in Southwest and Central Asia is a key not only to successful development of the countries situated there, but also an important factor of strengthening security in the region.

Today we have vast opportunities for giving impetus to the economic component of our bilateral cooperation. In this connection the first meeting of Russian-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held in September, 2010 was a significant event. It helped to outline specific areas of our interaction as well as the projects that can be practically realized within the framework of the two countries’ cooperation.

Special attention is drawn to the possibilities of oil-, gas- and coal-deposits exploitation, participation of Russian companies in providing electricity transit from Central Asia (CASA-1000), construction of Iran-Pakistan and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipelines, reconstruction and modernization of Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi, establishment of banks’ representations in both countries, telecommunication development and modernization of Pakistani railways.

After the session of the Intergovernmental Commission the exchange of delegations representing both countries’ business communities has become more intense. This is helpful for practical implementation of existing and newly emerged plans and ideas. In this connection the visits paid to Moscow by Minister of State, Chairman of the Pakistani Board of Investment Mr. S.Mandviwalla on September 28 – October 4 and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Mr. S.N.Qamar on November 19-20 were extremely useful. Quadrilateral meeting of the ministers of economic block of the “Four” including Russia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan held on October 22 in Moscow and attended by the Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, Mr. M.A.Fahim, is also worth mentioning.

It should be acknowledged that there are some factors impeding the development of economic cooperation between Russia and Pakistan. That is a certain passivity of our companies as well as the lack of mutual awareness, particularly, of the economy dynamics and the development of both countries’ legal basis in the respective sphere. In this connection we welcome the establishment of Pakistan-Russia Business Forum by Pakistani companies and local organizations concerned. This Forum along with Pakistan-Russia Business Council (also formed by Pakistani enterprises) aims at promoting direct contacts between the business communities of our states. We are also working at the idea of establishing a joint business council with an active participation of Russian companies.

Analyzing Russian-Pakistani relations, one would draw attention to a simplified approach to their history still remaining in a section of the Pakistani political circles. Appeals to “abandon the prejudice of a cold war period” resound here from time to time. In this connection it is appropriate to emphasize that even at the height of this period when the Soviet Union and Pakistan were pushed to opposite block systems, Moscow continued to develop its contacts with Islamabad and gave active assistance to Pakistani economy. It was in the seventies and eighties when Karachi’s Pakistan Steel Mills, Multan and Guddu power plants were constructed with the direct help of USSR.

The re-evaluation of the Russian-Pakistani relations in accordance with the realities of modern international situation took the period of the late nineties and early years of the current century. It was then that the leaders of both countries categorically opted for overcoming the remaining divisive lines in the region and emphasized that Moscow-Islamabad interaction is not subject to any outside influence and has its own value. The past decade fully proved the correctness of this approach. To sum up, the main thing has to be emphasized. We have a solid foundation for constructing a multistorey building of Russian-Pakistani relations, and there are excellent opportunities to do it in a proper way. All we need is to use them.

—The writer is Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Pakistan.

[Paan Singh]

relations may be decided after 4-5 yrs

[Spring Onion]

relations may be decided after 4-5 yrs

Indeed but the process must start by now though it will be a long one to consolidate relations and break away from old block

[farhan_9909]

Pak russia relations will improve

we really did bad with them

bt they can still be trusted unlike backstabbers aka american

[Paan Singh]

Indeed but the process must start by now though it will be a long one to consolidate relations and break away from old block

plz dont mind..but i think usa wont let u to go easily...u will have to pay a lot to get away from them.
and moreever,russia is alligning with usa on many issues .
and atleast 10 yrs from now,indian relations with russia wont let ur relations to get strong.

[Spring Onion]

plz dont mind..but i think usa wont let u to go easily...u will have to pay a lot to get away from them.
and moreever,russia is alligning with usa on many issues .
and atleast 10 yrs from now,indian relations with russia wont let ur relations to get strong.

Indeed US wont let us thats what it had been doing. India wont let Russia as well . But again in international politics as they said friends and foes are not permanent.

If US and Russia comes fully in ONE block then tell me do they need anyone else for that matter India or Pakistan???

[Paan Singh]

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Indeed US wont let us thats what it had been doing. India wont let Russia as well . But again in international politics as they said friends and foes are not permanent.

If US and Russia comes fully in ONE block then tell me do they need anyone else for that matter India or Pakistan???

even india will pass russia in development in few years...russian eco is going low....and yes,if they go in one block,they have target called as china.

and one more reason is pakistan relations with china due to gwadar(supply lines for china) and to get iran.so i say watever number of nukes u have,usa wont leave u even if u want to get away.By derailing pakistan,american and israeli objectives can easily be achieved ans of course indian one(this is other reason that u can hate us more).