A Lack of Innovative Diplomacy with Pakistan
IRD: For the past 11 years the US, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been working closely to fight terrorism and fundamentalism, a relationship that was deeply affected following the death of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.
Prior to Osama’s Hollywood-like assassination, US allegation of Pakistan’s alleged support of terrorism was limited to a few journals and articles. This however quickly changed following the discovery and the death of Bin Laden in Pakistan. Currently, Washington and Kabul’s relations with Islamabad are at an all time low. Additionally, the presence of NATO forces in Pakistan is adding to the existing tensions.
US criticism of the Pakistani government for providing refuge to terrorists or their neglect in discovering the bin Laden terrorist dwelling in Pakistan continues to be an open wound without no cure but time.
The quarrel and allegations between US, Afghanistan and Pakistan have created a gap in the relations of Islamabad with Washington and Kabul, which could have acted as a window of opportunity for Iran to strengthen relations with Pakistan.
This opportunity for Iran, however, is quickly fading away as Qatar has proposed to host talks with the three countries over the establishment of a Taliban base in Qatar and to monitor the peace process in Afghanistan.
It seems that Qatar and Saudi Arabia are seeking to appear intermediaries between the US and Pakistan in recent months in order to lessen the existing gap between the two countries, a strategy that would help the US to once again strengthen a foothold in the region, while Pakistan can continue to count on future US aid. Moreover, Pakistan would not need to consider strengthening relations with Iran.
During the past month Iran-Pakistan relations have mostly revolved around economic, security and border issues. However, considering the current anti-US climate and the lessened relations of Islamabad with Delhi and Kabul, Iran could have seized the opportunity to strengthen relations with Pakistan, bedazzling the West and the Gulf countries of its exceptional diplomatic approach. Yet it seems that Tehran is only used to “astonish” by its lack of initiative, diplomatic tardiness, and an absence of political risk taking.
This week Pakistan hosted Ali Saeedloo, Ahmadinejad’s deputy director of international affairs, to cover the economic aspect of the two countries’ relations.
Pakistan is one of Iran’s biggest and most powerful neighbors, and although relations between the two countries have never been hostile, neither have they ever been excellent and reliable, maintaining a neutral pace. Islamabad is hosting a business and trade delegation from Iran, which could benefit Iran at times of embargos and economic strain. Yet, with the exception of Rafsanjani’s administration, Tehran has never taken the initiative to move relations with Islamabad forward.
Nonetheless, Saeedloo has proven to be an effective member of Ahmadinejad’s administration, working with him since Ahmadinejad’s days as the mayor of Tehran. Saeedloo is now pursuing the execution of a memorandum of economic cooperation between the two countries. There are no high expectations on his visit to enhance diplomatic relations; nevertheless experts agree that maintaining the status quo in relations with Pakistan in times of toughened sanctions requires dexterity. Furthermore, singing joint treaties with Pakistan while Islamabad-Washington relations are slowing could be of use to Iran in the future.
Saeedloo’s trip to Pakistan is also said to be in preparation of a visit from Ahmadinejad, as it was previously announced that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be visiting Pakistan in late February.