03.10.2018, Islamabad.
Pakistani former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar in her interview to the journalist Alan Philps on October 2nd said that the US is breaking down the global order. The text of the interview is published at the web-site of Chatham house.
“One just needs to be realistic about it and say, ‘because of what is happening in Afghanistan, the US finds it very difficult to engage with Pakistan in an intensive manner. It is in the US’s interest to blame Pakistan for everything that happens and goes wrong,” Hina Rabbani Khar said.
“We have been trying for the past 50 years to get on the same page as the Americans on our views on Afghanistan. It hasn’t happened yet and it’s not likely to happen in the next few years. The simple reason is that we are part of the region and we understand the complexities better than they do. I am not a Taliban (organization banned in Russia, editor’s note) sympathizer and I do not wish a Taliban (organization banned in Russia, editor’s note) government in Afghanistan – that would be the worst thing that could happen for Pakistan. But to accept the Taliban (organization banned in Russia, editor’s note) as a reality which must have representation within the country is, obviously, a requirement before we can go and talk about peace and reconciliation,” she added.
The politician believes that the US’ “effort towards peace and reconciliation has been half-hearted.” Peace in Afghanistan hasn’t been in the “top list of the strategic objectives of the United States,” Pakistani former foreign minister thinks.
“For the past ten years there has not been a lot of military support in a way that strengthened Pakistan to any serious degree,” Hina Rabbani Khar said. “I know a time when F-16 fighter jets were paid for and never delivered. I know a time when F-16 spare parts were paid for and never delivered,” she pointed out.
The Pakistani former foreign minister thinks that the US “is actively breaking down the whole order. And this is a seriously dangerous place to be because we have nothing to replace the order we had, whether you are a fan of it or not. We have a breakdown of international order at a level that I have not experienced in my lifetime. So, the world has changed before our eyes.”
Answering the question regarding cooperation with China Hina Rabbani Khar said, “I understand the very negative view of the Belt and Road Initiative in the West. But I don’t share that view at all. If I had to choose between a World Bank programme and a Belt and Road Initiative I would always go for the latter, for the simple reason that the latter respects the choice of the country.”
“Among all the sources of infrastructure funding, China’s happens to be one of the better ones,” concluded Hina Rabbani Khar.
Hina Rabbani Khar is the first woman in Pakistan to serve as Foreign Minister. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst (USA) with honors, and she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan from 2011 to 2013.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
