KARACHI, June 10: The Russian Federation is keen to improve its ties with Pakistan in 'all spheres' and has viewed that peace and stability would give great impetus to bilateral relations.

The Consul General of Russian Federation in Karachi, Vladimir P. Mikhaylov, said that an improved law and order situation and stability in Pakistan, as well as in Afghanistan, was essential for the promotion of mutually beneficial cooperative relationship.

He was speaking on the Nature of Russian Federation's Relations with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Countries: Impact on Pakistan at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs here on Thursday.

Mr Mikhaylov said that since General Pervez Musharraf's visit to his country last year, relations between the two countries had developed 'quite successfully' in diplomatic, political, economic and trade fields.

He said that in a changed environment, the two countries were not placed in different ideological camps or military groupings (as was the case during the Cold War period).

He claimed that views of Pakistan and Russian Federation were 'very close' on Iraq, Middle East and other international issues. The two sides maintain regular consultations on various issues, including the campaign against terrorism, narcotics and weapons of mass destruction.

The consul general noted that the volume of bilateral trade and economic cooperation was not according to the full potential. Moscow is focussing on developing economic ties and setting up joint ventures because political relations would not become durable without such ties, he said.

At the same time, he stressed: "We do not have much military cooperation with Pakistan and it would take time to materialize." Many Russian companies, he pointed out, were satisfied with Pakistan's policies in oil and gas sectors.

"We are planning first ever solo Pakistan exhibition at St. Petersburg in early September this year and hope that Pakistani business community would take full advantage of that."

Mr Mikhaylov said that one of the reasons for difficulties in the promotion of economic ties was the lack of information about each other. He said that Russian companies were interested in participating in various exhibitions here but law and order situation in the city was an impediment.

"We want our Pakistani friends to solve this problem and the Russian businessmen will be ready to come," he said. The envoy was of the view that in the absence of stability in Pakistan, as well as in Afghanistan and the CIS states, full potential of Gwadar Port could not be exploited.

Stability would lead to promotion of economic development, he added. He indirectly expressed concern over the reported presence of foreign extremist elements in Pakistan and hoped that Pakistan would do the needful in this regard.

Speaking on various aspects of Russia's relations with CIS states and the ultimate impact on Pakistan, he expressed his confidence that Pakistan wanted good economic ties with the CIS states.

Mr Mikhaylov said his country was interested in a stable world order but did not accept unipolarity or unilateralism. "We believe that there must be many centres of power. Unless there is a multipolar world, there would not be stability in the world," he added.

Earlier, Honorary Consul General of Morocco, Fateh Ali Hashim, spoke on the demographic, cultural and religious distribution of the region forming the CIS which has witnessed revival of Islamic and Christian cultures. He said that the CIS could serve as a bridge between one billion Muslims and the Russian Federation.

Professor Talat A. Wizarat stressed the need for strengthening Pakistan's economic relations with Russian Federation as well as with the CIS countries. She spoke at length on the problems created by the absence of balance of power in a unipolar world.

She also discussed the proliferation of US military bases and facilities in Central Asia, South Asia and the adjoining areas, besides simultaneous input of a lot of investment in the oil and gas sectors with a view to control the natural resources of the region and marginalize the OPEC, China and even India in future.

Farzana Shakoor focussed on the new great game in which the West was trying to get control of the enormous oil and gas reserves in the Caspian basin and the Central Asia region.

Earlier, Chairman of the PIIA Fatehyab Ali Khan in his remarks said that the CIS was based on principles of sovereign equality of all members. In March 1994, the CIS was accorded observer status in the United Nations.

He said a Customs Union, to regulate transactions between member states with non-convertible independent currencies, and a Regulatory Economic Court had also been established for CIS countries.

Mr Khan, referring to the terrorist attack on corps commander's convoy in the city on Thursday and other earlier incidents, said they were reverberations of foreign policies of major powers, as well as of Pakistan, in the region, especially vis-a-vis Afghanistan.