The forthcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session is significant for Pakistan in more than one way. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is representing Pakistan in the UNGA session scheduled for later this month, will not only have to present Pakistan’s case on various regional and global issues in a comprehensive way before the world leaders but also have to tackle three other important matters diligently at the sidelines of General Assembly’s meeting.
Pakistan’s foreign policy managers, on one hand are trying hard to arrange a meeting between Gilani and US President Barack Obama at the sidelines of the UNGA session to push forward the ongoing process of reconciliation between Islamabad and Washington, and on the other, they have to present the country’s case on a very important issue of Fissile Material Cut off Treaty (FMCT) in an effective way in the face of building US pressure on Islamabad to sign the non-proliferation global pact.
Still another important aspect of the prime minister’s visit to New York is the likelihood of his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which again will facilitate in carrying forward the ongoing peace process between arch rival nuclear neighbours. It is not yet clear whether Indian prime minister will be attending the UNGA session however if he is there, then the meeting between him and Gilani will definitely take place. If not, then the Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna will be discussing different issues on Indo-Pak dialogue with Gilani.
It was because of all those important matters that President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the current Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon to continue with his office until the end of UNGA session despite that his tenure has ended. Zardari is of the view that it will be very difficult for someone new from Pakistan at the United Nations to deal with all these important matters effectively. Haroon will be relinquishing his slot now most likely in October this year. Pakistani authorities feel that a thrust from highest political level in Islamabad and Washington is required to do away with the present ‘deadlock’ in the ties between Pakistan and the United States.
Hence, intense diplomatic efforts are still afoot to arrange a meeting between Gilani and Obama but still there is no positive response on that count from the US administration. The Obama administration is willing for a call on meeting between Gilani and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On the issue of FMCT, Gilani and his delegation will have to face a serious challenge as the Obama administration has decided to use the UNGA platform to exert maximum possible pressure on Islamabad with the help of like-minded states to sign the treaty as Pakistan is considered as the major hurdle in the way of this important pact. Pakistan has decided to resist the US pressure and not to sign FMCT. The signing of FMCT will result in halting production of material used for making nuclear bombs on the part of Islamabad.
Pakistan’ stance on FMCT is that the treaty must also cover the existing stocks of bomb-making material along with halting future production as India and some nuclear-armed states have asked for a production cut-off that does not affect their current stockpiles.
The third important issue of Indo-Pak relations and the peace process that is underway to resolve the thorny issue of Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and other bilateral issues, is also part of the agenda of prime minister’s visit to New York to attend UNGA session. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited India in July this year after officials meetings on most of the issues between the two countries had taken place in the previous months.
Now its time for reviewing the progress made during the foreign minister’s visit to New Delhi and that is what Prime Minister Gilani will be discussing in detail in New York, either with his Indian counterpart or the foreign minister. Hence, all these factors make Prime Minister Gilani’s visit to United Nations more than a routine trip and it certainly will test his political acumen and diplomatic skills.