On April 18, 2019, at 11:00, the Valdai Discussion Club will host an expert discussion, titled “Prospects of Pakistan in Modern World Development and Russian-Pakistani Relations”.

       Pakistan’s recent entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation provided the impetus for a strengthening of relations between Russia and Pakistan. The defence sector was not last among the industries where these contacts began to develop. Joint military exercises are held between the two countries, and military-technical cooperation is under discussion. Economic projects also received an incentive for development; academic and cultural ties are being established. A number of them can be included in the framework of the process of alignment between Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which is supported by Russia in the context of the emergence of a Greater Eurasia. Discussions on regional security issues, including a “synchronization of watches” on the situation in Afghanistan, are of great interest to both countries.

       At the same time, the recent military incidents on the border between Pakistan and India showed again how fragile peace and stability is in South Asia, and that much more work should be done to restore mutual trust between the conflicting parties. In this regard, the diplomatic steps to build a trustful and benevolent dialogue with all countries of the region are understandable and effective; as is the desire to avoid a “zero-sum game” in relations between the states of South Asia.

       What is Pakistan’s view on regional security, especially in relation to neighbouring countries? What joint efforts could Moscow and Islamabad take in order to strengthen regional security, particularly in Afghanistan? What do the two countries need to do to ensure the dynamic development of cooperation? The participants in the discussion will answer these and other questions.

       Speakers:

       Lieutenant General Aamer Riaz, President of the National Defence University, Pakistan;

       Vladimir Sotnikov, Ph.D. in History, senior research fellow at the Centre for Energy and Transport Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sicences.

       Moderator:

       Oleg Barabanov, Programme director of the Valdai Discussion Club.

       Working languages: Russian and English.

       Information for participants! If you have any questions, please call +7 926 638 86 37