The Vice Chancellor University of Sindh Mazharul Haq Siddiqui has said that the countries and regions are moving away from confrontation towards dialogue, realising that the security and regional co-operation amongst the neighbours is a prerequisite for the development and economic growth of their respective countries.
He was presiding over the 2-day International Seminar on "Pakistan-Asean Relations: Constraints and Opportunities" organised by the Area Study Center Far East and South East Asia University of Sindh here on Wednesday.
The seminar was held at the auditorium of the Institute of Sindhology, Jamshoro which was attended by a large number of foreign delegates, scholars from the Universities of Pakistan, and Institutes.
The Vice Chancellor University of Sindh, while inaugurating the seminar said that for the promotion of Multi level dialogue and co-operation, fora such as Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation, Sean Regional Forum, Asean Post Ministerial Conference and South Asia Free Trade Area (Safta) are emerging and expanding.
He said that the Asean is a success story of regional co-operation in the developing countries and added that the Asean region will be one of the principal stages of action in the 21st Century.
He said that first important turning point for Pakistan Asean relations was when Asean awarded Pakistan status of sectoral dialogue partner in 1997.
He further said that the Asean-Pakistan sectoral dialogue covers the sectors of trade, industry, investment, environment, science and technology, drugs and narcotics, tourism and human resource development.
Continuing he said that there are several other (potential) areas for co-operation between Pakistan and Asean countries such as Culture, Education, Transport, Energy, Communications, Intelligence and Information sharing, Information Technology and Agriculture research.
Siddiqui said that Pakistan-Asean relations still stay at the sectoral Dialogue Partnership level and urged upon the scholars and diplomats to work hard to enhance Pakistan-Asean relations at the full dialogue Partner level.
He said that the history and geography provides compelling logic of co-operation between Pakistan and Asean countries and added that there is a need for all of us to share our experiences to forge a common endeavour to support each other.
He said that our diplomats should not forget the fact that full dialogue partnership in Asean is not a smooth and simple task because pro-India lobbies are actively working in South Asian countries.
He said that over the last few years the scholars and policy makers have been focusing on promoting and developing our ties with Asean countries known as our "look east" policy.
He said that Pakistan is not only interested to deepen its relations with Asean countries but with all the Asia Pacific countries and added that Pakistan has long expressed its desire to join the Asia-Pacific economic co-operation.
He said that in the aftermath of 9/11 incident, Pakistan and Asean countries are co-operating in tackling non-traditional security threats.
He said that the global political and security uncertainties on the one hand and speed of globalisation on the other hand would bring Pakistan and Asean countries closer to each other.
He said that people-to-people contacts such as academic exchanges and
cultural programmes should be promoted between Pakistan and Asean countries and added that people-to-people interaction, frequent dialogue and discussions are required to create better understanding.
The Vice Chancellor, University of Sindh, said that currently the climate is conducive for foreign investment and joint ventures in Pakistan and added that there is a need of great trade exchange and promotion of investments between Pakistan and Asean.
He said that there is also a dire need for academic linkages between the institutions of research and higher education.
He expressed hope that with the views of the speakers, learned scholars, sharing of experiences, valuable suggestions would be prepared for further promotion of relations and identify specific areas for joint schemes and projects between Pakistan and Asean countries.
The former foreign secretary of Pakistan Niaz A. Naik said that Pakistan should have to learn from the experiences for the development of the country.
He said that two major events, which took place recently, are very favourable for the region.
He said that the Pakistan-India dialogue again after many years is very encouraging for the development in a positive way.
He said that there are moments of hope to convert South Asia into a region of peace.
He said that 8 developing countries which met in Tehran also included 2 Asean countries Indonesia and Malaysia. This is yet another hopeful development.
He hoped that the recommendations of the seminar will be prepared to be helpful for the further development of relations between Pakistan and Asean countries.
Nicanor Marundan from the Office of Asean Affairs department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippine in Manila, appreciating the efforts of the University of Sindh for organising such a great seminar on the Pakistan Asean relations, said that Pakistan and Asean relations would definitely enhance economic growth between Pakistan and Asean as a region and individual member countries.
He congratulated the Area Study Center of the University for organising timely such an important seminar.
The Director Area Study Center Far East and South East Asia University of Sindh Professor Hidiyat Ali Soomro expressing his views highlighted the objectives of the seminar.
He said that the International Seminar would provide support for the development of better relations between Pakistan and Asean countries.
The Learned Scholar Dr Obaidul Haq, in first working session after the inaugural session, delivered his paper on "Pakistan-Asean relations" said that Pakistan has normal diplomatic and friendly relations with the founding members of the Asean.
He said that Pakistan efforts to deepen its relations with the organisations receive favourable response, and added that yet there is no consensus about according Pakistan the status of full dialogue partner and membership of ARF.
He said that Pakistan has remained a sectoral dialogue partner since 1993 and added that its volume of annual trade with the Asean countries is very low.
He said that a peaceful stable and progressive Pakistan with its rich history, vast resources and its hardy and resourceful people has a lot of offer to Asean and to the world at large.
Professor Imrana Gul from the University of Punjab delivering her paper on "Asean Regional Forum: Scope and Limitations" said that for its members states, Asean provides a forum for inter-related confidence building and preventive diplomacy.
She said that within South East Asia the association also fulfils the role of a diplomatic community holding a more or less uniform view on regional security issues.
Asean members also felt that if the association remained internally focused its capacity to manage the regional order to its benefit would be severely compromised.
Expressing herself about limitation of ARF, she said that although Asean's guidance promotes a security approach in which the principles of consultations and consensus assumed priority over confrontation and competitive bargaining.
About ARF and Pakistan she said that Pakistan seeks deep economic relations with the Asean region and is deeply committed to establish concrete links with Asean countries to promote mutually beneficially co-operation in the field of trade, industries and investment.
She said Pakistan is having the support of majority members of Asean countries and added Malaysia is openly backing Pakistan's case for making it a full dialogue partner.
In second session of the seminar, former Foreign Secretary in Pakistan, Niaz A. Naik presenting his paper on Pakistan and Asean relation: constraints and opportunities, said Pakistan highly values the sectoral dialogue with the Asean, and primary areas of co-operation between Pakistan and Asean are trade, industries, investment, environment and information technology.
Naik said the encouraging progress has been made in utilising potential in these vital areas of co-operation.
He said Pakistan and Asean should harmonise their policies in the WTO.
He said Pakistan could promote co-operation between Saarc and Asean specially after the successful 12th Saarc summit held at Islamabad in current year.
He said that Pakistan has enjoyed warm and friendly bilateral relations with Asean members since its independence in 1947.
He said Pakistan and Indonesia were pioneers in institutionalising co-operation in Asia by establishing Indonesia Pakistan economic cultural co-operation (IPEC) during president Sukarno's regime and added political, security and strategic links were established with Philippine and Thailand.
He said Pakistan and Asean is too far apart geographically, and current level of trade, investment and joint ventures is small.
Government officers and businessmen people know little about each other, he added.
Professor Ibrahim Shah Bukhari, Fazil Rehman and other scholars expressed their views in the two sessions of the first day of the International seminar.
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