At WEF, FM Bilawal calls for holding negotiations between Russia, Ukraine

  • Says Afghanistan issue was also resolved on the table
20 Jan, 2023

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday stressed upon Russia and Ukraine to resolve the ongoing conflict through diplomacy and dialogue.

Speaking at a discussion regarding security and coordination at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, he said “in a bid to avoid Russia-Ukraine conflict turning into a forever war, we would like to see proactive approach from both sides to pursue diplomacy in pursuit of peace while absolutely having to respond to military elements of this conflict.”

According to him, diplomacy was missing between the two sides.

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“NATO was in my neighbourhood too, and we thought they would be there until that war was concluded however, that conflict was resolved on a negotiating table,” he underlined. “In 2002, Afghan Taliban were willing to surrender and negotiate. We did not take it seriously and had to do it again in 2020.”

According to him, the worst that can happen on a negotiating table was that talks could fail and countries would go back to war.

He also regretted that international law was made for western interest.

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“We don’t see Ukraine conflict as the only time when international law and UNSC resolutions have been violated,” he stated. “We find it ironic that UN conventions apply to Ukraine but not to Iraq. UNSC resolutions that mean so much to all of Europe and west right now mean nothing more than a paper when it comes to case of Kashmir.”

In his speech at WEF earlier, he said Pakistan will continue to raise its voice on the continuing grave human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

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“The country will also continue to extend unstinted moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their quest for self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” he stated.

“Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute and India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK are very clear. Pakistan has always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbours, including India,” he said.

“We have consistently advocated constructive engagement and result oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Kashmir. However, India’s unabated hostility and retrogressive actions have vitiated the environment and impeded the prospects for peace and cooperation.”

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