EXPECT no miracles. The first-ever summit between the EU and Pakistan in Brussels on June 17 will not lead to an overnight change in what is still a relatively desultory and uninspiring relationship.
If Islamabad and Brussels play their cards right, however, the long-awaited meeting could help make EU-Pakistan ties stronger, more dynamic and more relevant to both sides' strategic and security interests.
To some extent, the meeting is the message. The summit certainly marks a long-awaited recognition by the 27-nation EU of Pakistan's 'stand alone' strategic importance — and not only because of the challenge of stabilising Afghanistan. But symbolism alone is no longer an option. The EU and Pakistan have to move from rhetoric to joint action in order to combat the spreading insurgency, consolidate Pakistan's weak civilian institutions and improve living conditions in the country through upgraded EU trade and aid concessions.
The US will remain a pivotal player in Pakistan. However, the EU must use its 'soft power' tools and expertise in political and economic reform to help modernise Pakistan's judiciary, police forces, parliament, political parties and education system.
If the EU is to be an effective actor in Pakistan, it will have to switch from a purely poverty-alleviation agenda to one which pushes, prods and encourages Pakistan's reform and modernisation efforts. In fact, what is needed in Pakistan — and possibly other parts of Asia — is a 21st century EU development agenda which combines traditional development assistance with modern tools designed to meet human security challenges.
The upcoming summit marks an encouraging start in the EU's rethink of relations with Pakistan. Discussions next week, for example, will centre on EU-Pakistan cooperation to fight terrorism, with EU officials expected to underline their support for Pakistan's current military offensive against the Taliban but also insist that the operation must be followed up by a sustained counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation agenda.
More EU humanitarian aid package for people displaced by the fighting can be expected amid worries that extremist religious groups are using the crisis to
strengthen their 'social welfare' role among refugees. In the medium-term, the EU has said it is ready to back a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction plan for the Swat valley and surrounding areas as well as a 'Frontier Trust Fund' which would channel development assistance into the region.
Pakistani policymakers need to be equally diligent in doing their homework. Islamabad's key focus is understandably on the US and President Barack Obama's new initiatives, with Europe frequently fading into the background. When they do look at the EU, Pakistani officials tend to view the bloc as an exclusively trading entity, with little political clout. This very limited agenda needs to be expanded.True, Pakistan-EU trade is important and recent EU anti-dumping actions on products like Pakistani bed linen have soured relations in the past. The EU remains lukewarm about Pakistani demands for a free-trade agreement and there is little chance that Islamabad will gain access to the so-called GSP Plus tariff-reduction scheme in the short term. Brussels can provide valuable help, however, in assisting Pakistan to meet the EU's sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for fishery products and also to build trade-related capacity. Assistance and expertise can be provided to help Pakistan diversify its limited export base.
Pakistan, meanwhile, should capitalise on the timing of the meeting. EU governments are impressed by Islamabad's new resolve in fighting the Taliban although many questions still remain on how sustained the action will be and whether public opinion will continue to back the military offensive. There is concern over the aftermath of the army operation, Pakistan's capacity to 'hold' areas freed of Taliban and the effectiveness of the police in ensuring security once the soldiers move out.
Above all, there are serious questions about the civil-military power relationship, the army's commitment to fighting the insurgency rather than shadowboxing with India and the on-off political squabbles which have long marred Pakistan's political landscape and reputation.
Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, who retired from the Pakistani diplomatic service about two years ago, told leading EU officials at an informal roundtable discussion at the European Policy Centre in Brussels recently that he believed Pakistan was living through a “defining moment” of change, with the public, politicians and media now firmly in favour of what they perceived as a “fight worth fighting” against the Taliban.
“A new Pakistan is being baptised with the blood of soldiers,” said Mr Mahmood, adding that with its free and vibrant press, there was no danger that Pakistan would ever become a failed state.
Such comments are of course heartening for EU policymakers as they struggle to hammer out a new strategic relationship with Pakistan. EU aid has increased substantially in recent months with Europe playing a leading role in the Friends of Democratic Pakistan group. There is also recognition that Pakistan needs a helping hand as regards its exports to the EU. Europeans say they are ready and willing to help Pakistan 'win the peace' but that Islamabad must also show equal determination to expand its relationship with the EU.
Building a new EU-Pakistan cooperation agenda will not be easy. There are still too many EU states which do not recognise Islamabad's strategic importance, leaving Britain and the European Commission solely responsible for charting a new course in the relationship. Pakistan has an enormous task ahead in rebuilding and restoring its democratic credentials after years of military rule. The EU, for its part, has to prove it is serious about tackling global security challenges.
The upcoming summit is a good beginning, allowing both sides to open a new chapter in EU-Pakistan relations. But to be effective, such meetings must not be a mere photo opportunity or a response to US demands that the EU and Pakistan get serious about working together. EU-Pakistan summits must be held regularly and followed up by quick action as well as sustained mutual engagement and interest.
The writer is Dawn's correspondent in Brussels.