March 22, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1428

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PESHAWAR, March 21: Academics from Russia and Central Asian states have identified `conflicting’ Afghan policies of Pakistan and Russia as major irritants harming the Islamabad-Moscow relations.

Professor Dr Victor G. Korgun of the Russian Academy of Science was speaking at the first session of a two-day seminar on ‘Pakistan-Russia-Central Asia relations’ at the Area Study Centre for Russia, China and Central Asia at the University of Peshawar on Wednesday.

Academicians and researchers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan besides local experts on Central Asia in their research papers pointed out the hurdles in the way of cordial relations between Pakistan, Russia and the Central Asian states.

Mr Korgun, an expert on Russia-Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, said that during the Soviet-Afghan war and in the latter period of the Taliban rule, the Russian Federation had supported the minority Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, while Pakistan supported Afghanistan’s Pukhtun population.

He said that keeping in view the new developments and in a bid to expand its economic ties with Afghanistan, the Russians at present were doing their best to have cordial relations and economic contacts with all Afghan nationalities, especially Pukhtun.

He particularly identified economic and technological cooperation between the two countries.

Amriyazadan Ali Mardanov from Tajikistan traced the close affinity between Pakistan and his country on the basis of literature and religion.

He said that in his country people had identified Pakistan through the poetry of Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi and works of Hakeem Said.

Dr Irina N. Serenko from the Russian Federation read a paper on ‘Russia-Pakistan scientific, educational and cultural potential for mutual cooperation’. She informed the audience about the cooperation efforts between the two nations since the days of former Soviet Union in early 1960’s until recently.

Gulzamira Ussenbayeva from Kazakhstan and Meruret Makhmutova from Tajikistan also discussed cooperation between their countries and Pakistan in tourism, trade and education sectors.

Peshawar University Institute of Management Sciences Director Professor Dr Nasir Ali Khan deliberated on ‘trade liberalisation and economic integration in Central Asia’.

Former Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand spoke on the past and present relationship between Russia and Pakistan.

“We have left behind the worst in our relationship which owed much to the American-sponsored military pacts in the region,” he said and added: “Now it is time to redefine our relationship in the light of new realities based on expansion of democracy, people-to-people contact and scientific and educational cooperation.”

Professor Dr Mohammad Anwar Khan, former director of ASC and ex-vice chancellor of the Peshawar University, presented an overview of the British Empire and Imperial Russia in the region in the past popularly known as the ‘Great Game in Central Asia’.

He said that Pakistan inherited the British legacy in diplomatic affairs in the region that proved to be a stumbling block in close ties with Russia.