- How do you think the issue of local conflicts should be addressed in the global era? Should they be resolved on the local level or should the international community take care of it?

 

- Local conflicts should preferably be addressed and resolved at the local level. But experience has shown that in most of the cases parties to the local conflict take such hard and inflexible positions that it becomes extremely difficult if not impossible to move forward. Moreover, there are local conflicts that have regional and global ramifications and cannot be allowed to fester indefinitely. Classic examples of these are the Israeli- Palestinian issue, the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan and the Spartly Islands among South East Asian nations. Local engagement and international guidance and nudging could help in the resolution of long outstanding issues.

 

- How does Pakistan and Asia in general view the idea of humanitarian intervention? Would Pakistan or India accept one in the case of, for example, Kashmir? Why?

 

- Violation of Human Rights should be responded in accordance with international law governed by Geneva Conventions and Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Any unilateral intervention without a UNSC cover can be counterproductive. However, the international community and especially the US have been very selective in the application of these covenants and Kashmir is a classic example of this duality. It is unfortunate that India which has sound and well established democratic institutions and a constitution that is secular in character has disregarded these tenants when it comes to Kashmir. Hopefully, with the improvement of India- Pakistan relations these contradictions will be removed. Pakistan too has to improve its human rights record in general and especially in respect of Baluchistan.

In Central Asia states also the human rights situation is poor and major powers seem to overlook it for narrow expedient gains. Nonetheless, direct intervention in any Asian country should only be resorted to when there is a potential danger that large communities are in grave danger as was the case in Rwanda or in former Yugoslavia, but UN agencies and NGO's should keep a close watch on violations and bring pressure of the affected countries.

 

- What are the changes that modern military should make in order to adapt to new factors such as no-contact low-intensity conflicts? Which role do military play in the fourth generation warfare?

 

- Militaries if they have to remain relevant have to reinvent themselves to fight the invisible enemy. Asymmetric warfare needs specialized training, different weapons and equipment and more significantly different strategies, doctrines and organizational structure. Greater reliance has to be placed on intelligence and winning support of the people and application of all elements of national power for winning the war is necessary. International cooperation is also a vital element in fighting this borderless war.

 

- What should Pakistan do in order to tame its radical Islamists and eradicate support for them? Is it "mission impossible"?

 

- Pakistan has to take multiple and parallel steps as a part of a comprehensive strategy to fight radicalism and extremism. These will have to be both long and short term measures. Long term measures demand that the government undertakes the task of spreading the right type of education. Public schools should be sufficient in numbers so that parents don’t have to send their children to Madrassas. Some of these Madrassas have become a source of breeding radicalism and extremism. Education remains one of the most neglected sectors in Pakistan. Consequently, a very large percentage (over 50%) of the population is illiterate or semi-illiterate. No country can progress unless its population is educated and relates to the world. Democratic development and economic progress have also a co-relation with proper form of human resource development. A society in which its people are educated and has a good economy are less liable to support militancy. Hence the need for undertaking major educational reforms and according it a high priority.

Economic opportunities have to be enhanced so that the people have a stake in the country and not take to militancy as a means of employment. The people have to provided security and justice by the state to neutralize the effectiveness of the militants. In the short term radicalism can be contained with better intelligence, mobilizing support of the people, keeping a strict check on militant and religious organizations, strengthening of democratic institutions, better governance and better training of security forces. Pakistan's leadership will have to provide the vision and commitment that is required to fight the great challenge that the country faces.

 

- These and other issues will be debated in one of the sections of the Yaroslavl Global Policy Forum that you are attending this year. What are your expectations from these debates? What do you plan to say and what would you like to hear from other participants?

 

- I am looking forward to listening and interacting with the delegates from other countries on major issues and the challenges that the world is facing. I am especially interested in regional and global security issues, and the state of world economy. Of special interest to me would be the views of our Russian participants on Afghanistan, the Middle East uprising and the rise of China as an economic and military power. I plan to speak on the "Regional Security Dynamic and its implications for Pakistan". Of course I will be willing to speak on the current challenges that Pakistan faces both internal and external.

 

By Yulia Netesova

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