Diplomatic offensive yielding results

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive has been producing enormous results. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM)/State Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, who had a productive meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, had two more significant meetings before returning home from Moscow on Thursday.

The shift in Russian policy towards Pakistan was visible during the engagements of Tariq Fatemi. Russians tends to be neutral in affairs between Pakistan and India. Russia in past had been favouring India in loud and clear manner. Highly placed diplomatic sources told The News on Thursday evening that Tariq Fatemi, who is an acclaimed expert on Russian affairs and fluent in Russian language, had important meetings with the primary foreign policy advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, who is viewed as Putin’s point man on external affairs. He is housed in Kremlin and associated with all foreign moves of his country.

SAPM Tariq Fatemi had yet another highly important meeting and it was with Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilyov in his office. The sources maintained that Pakistan is seeking enhanced cooperation in energy sector from Russia. Fatemi found that the Russians were forthcoming in it. Tariq Fatemi addressed a prestige club in Moscow, which is most effective think-tank in the Russian capital. He not only addressed the club members but also responded the query raised by the audience.

Sources said the SAPM had returned home and he would submit report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about the outcome of his visit as he dashed to the Russian capital early this week. Sources revealed that Indian delegation wanted to meet President Putin keeping in view India’s proximity with Russia as they are strategic partner for long.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has been in the incumbent office more than two decades, now meets seldom with the foreign guests. He had meeting with Tariq Fatemi, who handed him a letter from his PM for President Putin.

The sources pointed out that Indian delegation could meet a deputy of the foreign minister. It indicated the diplomatic stature of Pakistan in the wake of recent developments, the sources added.