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Dushanbe quadrilateral moot: Pakistan to benefit most

For all practical purposes, the unusual quadrilateral security summit conference of the presidents o

By Murtaza Ali Shah
August 03, 2009
For all practical purposes, the unusual quadrilateral security summit conference of the presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Russia, held at Tajikistan capital Dushanbe, has paved the way of another regional bloc that is assigned the task of promoting relationship among the four states in all spheres of activities, particularly economic development. The way deliberations progressed only reflects that the moot has been a resounding success because all partners of the conference shared identical concerns about growing challenges thrown by militancy and extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan in particular and vowed to put up a joint fight against the menace hoping that the entire world would throw its weight behind them in the fight against the threat which has taken the globe as its hostage.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are both fighting bloody insurgencies led by militants while Tajikistan is concerned that the instability will spill over its porous border with Afghanistan. Russia, meanwhile, is keen to sharpen its profile in Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries where it has had only a limited role to play since the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Russian head of state Dmitry Medvedev and Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon met at the latter’s residence on Thursday (July 30) also urging an intensified fight against drug trafficking in the region. Their joint statement issued after the talks expressed concern about the increase in the narcotics trade as one of the main sources of financing for militancy in the region. At a news conference after the meeting, Medvedev said the four countries had a shared vision of how to make the turbulent region and the world, safer. Medvedev also held bilateral talks with Asif Zardari claiming that bilateral trade had been growing despite the economic crisis.

The deliberations and agreements concluding at Dushanbe are expected to benefit Pakistan more than any other country. For this singular benefit, President Zardari made a fervent contribution and this helped him emerge as a leader among the heads of states like Dmitry Medvedev and Emomali Rakhmon. Apart from forging ties in commerce and trade, building of road and rail infrastructure and improving cultural relationship, Pakistan score the singular success of securing enough hydroelectric power from Tajikistan to substantially lower its electricity shortfall. It may be interesting to know that power shortage in Pakistan goes to peak during the summer when Tajikistan has a surplus supply and this factor will help the two countries to cooperate with each other in the power sector in particular. Initially, Pakistan will import around 1,000 MW of hydropower from Tajikistan which always has a surplus in hydroelectric production. This arrangement will also benefit Afghanistan which has its infrastructure and other institutions destroyed since 1979’s Soviet invasion followed by a civil war and then the Taliban rule.

The four-nation meeting agreed to create a favourable investment climate in their countries and promote direct ties among the business communities. The statement stressed for increase in foreign investment flows and implementation of projects in the sphere of hydropower, construction of transmission lines and development of transport infrastructure.

A day before the four-nation summit moot, heads of state of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan resolved to addressing the menace of terrorism and organised crime, besides strengthening joint cooperation in trade, energy and communication sectors for mutual benefits and development of the region. This meeting was held at Varzob, a picturesque tourist resort some 40 kilometres from capital Dushanbe. The three leaders, who also signed a joint declaration, discussed the prospects of further promoting friendly relations, trilateral cooperation in different areas including trade, energy and communication, as well as regional and international cooperation.

“Today we write another page in the history of region and bring the concept of regional ownership to the war in Afghanistan,” President Zardari told a joint press stakeout with leaders of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This summit moot focused mainly on joint cooperation and strengthening of relations among the three countries which has a potential to expand its membership to other Central Asian Republics.

The three leaders discussed all issues of mutual interest and concern, including the cooperation in trade, energy, transportation, infrastructure and cultural exchange. President Karzai of Afghanistan termed the meeting “a good beginning” for jointly dealing with the issues and for ensuring peace and security and development in the region. The meeting discussed the implementation of joint projects in areas of energy transfer from Tajikistan to Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as construction of inland rail road for transportation of passengers and goods. The three sides extended their support and commitment to construct rail, roads and highways en route Panji Poyon-Sherkhon and Bandar-Kabul-Peshawar, giving Tajikistan access to sea through Pakistani seaports. This project is also destined to help Pakistan improving its road and rail links to the international quality.

Pakistan and Afghanistan supported the efforts of Tajik government for establishment of regional electricity networks, and in this connection the three sides emphasised that concrete measures will be taken for early realisation of the establishment of the Central Asia-South Asia energy market. The three countries will adopt collective measures and evolve joint programmes to prevent plantation, production and use of narcotics and will conduct joint struggle against the organised groups of drug dealers. In this regard, Tajikistan and Pakistan expressed their readiness to assist Afghanistan in implementation of programmes related to the plantation of substitute crops. Similarly, Pakistan and Afghanistan found the proposal of Tajikistan to establish a regional Counter Narcotics Centre as reasonable and an effective way to deal with this menace.

The three sides agreed that terrorism, militancy, separatism, extremism and organised crimes undermine regional peace and stability and pose a threat to the security of all regional states. Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan declared their readiness to cooperate effectively for addressing the menace, said a joint declaration signed by the three presidents.