French parliamentariansput CPEC under microscope

Islamabad :A seven-member delegation of French parliamentarians, comprising five members of the National Assembly and two from country’s Senate, arrived in Islamabad on an ‘assessment’ mission about the progress and impact of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Pakistan as well as on the region.

Jean-Bernard Sempastous, the Chair of the France-Pakistan Friendship Group in the National Assembly of France, who is heading the delegation, while talking to a group of journalists at the residence of the French Ambassador, Marc Barety, said the delegation was not on any specific mission. However, he added that the two Senators would be focusing on economy and security issues.

Sempastous said that they are busy doing a study on the CPEC as well as on the Chinese initiative of ‘One Belt One Road’ (OBOR) and would submit their report to the Senate when it would be completed.

He said that the delegation, before coming to Islamabad, had spent two days in China and two days in Hong Kong. “During the last visit to China the focus was on bringing the two countries closer while during this visit the focus was ‘One Belt One Road’. We have our concerns over OBOR because of the geo-political changes it will bring about,” Sempastous said.

Senator Pascal Allizard while answering questions said that many European countries have signed with China in OBOR. “France also is going to do so soon. It has an economic impact and the project has many important aspects. The purpose of this visit to China and Hong Kong before coming here is to study it more closely because it is not only going to create linkages between Asia with Africa but with Europe as well.

“We are here also to have a look at the progress being made on CPEC. The project is going to generate economic competition as well and we would like to analyse the geo-political situation arising out of it too,” he added.

He said that during the last visit the CPEC was not the main focus. “Now, some MNAs desire for France to become a partner in CPEC. We support this connecting with Europe but we can only submit our findings and it is the government of France to take a decision.

Answering a question the French Senator said that Pakistan is going to be strengthened by this project, not only economically but through improved infrastructure and education as well. He said that France and Pakistan have a lot of cooperation in the field of education as well as culture. Under the cultural cooperation the Pakistan government sent the historic statue of ‘Budha’ to France to be displayed in a museum in Paris.

Sonia Kirimi, who is elected for the first time in June 2017 elections said that in the education sector, Pakistan, with over 60 per cent of youth population, has great potential of producing highly qualified young men and women.

“So far 621 Pakistani students have gone to France for higher education, including doctorate degrees. But still there is a lot of scope for building on this in view of the great number of young students Pakistan and France have a lot of potential to offer the higher education facilities to much larger number of students from Pakistan,” Kirimi added.

Senator Pascal Allizard said the issue of security for CPEC was widely discussed and they were thoroughly briefed about the special arrangements made all of which sounded quite convincing. However, he added, that still there is a lot more needed to be done to improve the security situation in Pakistan.

He also said that the Kashmir issue was also discussed in the meetings held so far with their Pakistani interlocutors. To a question he said that the matter of Pakistan becoming a member of the Nuclear Supply Group (NSG) was not discussed at all.

The French Parliamentary delegation led by Mr Jean-Bernard Sempastous included MNAs Mr Francois Pupponi, Ms Annaig Le Meur, Mr Jean-Luc Reitzer, Ms Sonia Krimi, Senator Pascal Allizard and Senator Gisele Jouda.