KARACHI, Aug 23: Speakers at a seminar denounced the strategy of unilateral and pre-emptive use of force, which they said was seriously threatening world peace, besides causing misery to millions of people.

The seminar was organized by the Foundation for Development Through Moral Revival on "Reconciling Realpolitik and Principled Diplomacy for Conflict Resolution" at the Raffia Choudhry Memorial Centre.

The speakers also called for tempering realpolitik with universal moral principles in conflict resolution and the conduct of foreign policy. International public opinion must be moblilized in this regard, they said, adding that it was especially important, given the possession of stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction by many countries.

Former ambassador Mr Mahdi Masud explained that while realpolitik today increasingly represented the policy based exclusively on national expediency, the perceived selfish interests of rulers were often camouflaged as national interest.

A preventive diplomacy, based on what was right, should be an integral part of the foreign policy of all countries, he said, adding that while the UN should promote moral principles in international relations and conflict resolution, the UN charter gave binding authority only to the Security Council, which, however, was subject to veto power enjoyed by its permanent members, some of whom often misuse this privilege.

He emphasised that all countries must accept jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for greater justice and accountability. In Kashmir, he lamented, morality and international law had been sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.

Islam postulated a principle-based system and warned against excesses in the pursuit of justice, he said, adding that we must seek common ground among the moral codes of great faiths to seek lasting peace. It was necessary to revive Ijtehad to deal with burning issues facing the Islamic world.

Columnist M B Naqvi said that the leadership of invading countries should be tried by their citizens at the bar of world public opinion. Nationalists created their own interpretations, which were not moral, he said, adding the UN was repeatedly misused for narrow national ends.

Real politik should be moderated and tempered by morality for more sustainable solutions, he said, adding that the use of brute force created new problems as was evident. Former diplomat Mr Qutubuddin Aziz emphasised that the UN resolutions on Kashmir were still morally and legally valid.

He welcomed Pakistani president's appeal to safeguard the holy as well as archaeological sites in Iraq. German Counsel Mr Detlef Kuester spoke of his experience at the European Union and West Africa, and said that sometimes protracted dialogue could help solve problems and cool down disputes among and within states.

Mr Siraj Ahmed emphasised that political will to follow morality-based policies was needed at international as well as national level. In summing up Vice Admiral I F Quadir, who chaired the proceedings, said that from various speakers it was clear that real politik would continue to take precedence in future too.

However, it seemed that in a uni-polar world real politik had reached its zenith, he added. The peace of the world now increasingly depended on the moral factor, he said.