PESHAWAR, April 27: A group of Russian journalists visited Peshawar University’s Area Study Centre (for Russia, China and Central Asia) on Friday.

On the occasion they said Russia was looking for allies in Central and South Asia, adding that Pakistan was in a good position to cash in on the opportunity.

Addressing an informal gathering at the ASC, they, however, expressed some concerns about Pakistan’s slow strategic and tactical moves in the region.

The Russian delegation included Sergey Strokan (Observer daily Kommersant), Konstantin Makienko (Centre for Analysis and Strategic Technology, Russia), Ilya Sverdlov (The Nevskoe Vremya), Ms Ologa Golovanova (Interfax News Agency), Yevgeny Shestakov (Rossiiskaya Gazeta) and Ms Natalia V. Melkenina.

ASC’s Director Dr Azmat Hayat Khan and faculty members Dr Babar Shah, Dr Shabbir Ahmad and Dr Zahid Anwar took part in discussions over various issues in Pakistan-Russia relations, US influence in Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Taliban and energy-related projects.

Highlighting the Indian influence on Russian foreign policy, the visiting journalists said that if Pakistani leaders showed through concrete steps their sincerity towards countering ‘alien influence’ in the region, the two countries could quickly bridge the gap separating them. Criticising the American moves in Central Asia, they said the same were aimed at curbing Russian influence.

Dr Azmat Hayat gave a detailed view of post-Soviet Union relations between Pakistan and the Central Asian states with a particular reference to the ever-increasing Indian influence there. He said Central Asian states were still under Russian influence and declared it to be a positive sign.