ISLAMABAD, June 29 (APP): Speakers in a seminar here Tuesday explored cooperation and commonalities of issues between the South Asian counties and a group of countries called MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia).
The Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) arranged the seminar in collaboration with the embassy of Republic of Korea and the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, titled “Middle power countries’ diplomacy on global issues.”
The speakers laid emphasis upon the need to address humanitarian, socio-ecological as well as trade and pandemic issues in a world that was more interconnected and interdependent than it ever was.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Geoffrey Shaw, Ambassador of Indonesia Adam Mulawarman Tugio and Ambassador of Turkey Ihsan Mustafa, who were the panel speakers, brought to fore the indispensability of forging renewed cooperation not only among the member states but also between the regions.
Acting President and Director Research IPRI Brig. (retired) Raashid Wali Janjua stressed on the efficacy of middle powers in confronting today’s challenges in a competitive environment.
National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yusuf, in his video message, observed that the idea for holding the seminar was to come together, and pool intellectual discourse. He desired to make such interactions a regular feature among think tanks.
Ambassador of Korea, Suh Sangpyo praised Pakistan’s role and termed it as a key player in the region. “We want to find more avenues of cooperation between MIKTA and South Asia,” he observed.
Secretary of National Security Division, Aamir Hasan said that they were passing through a global transition and the current pandemic was a case in point.
He said “In today’s modern diplomacy, multilateral organisations, alliances and blocs are the emerging order of the day. We are entering into a multipolar world, and this is where middle powers diplomacy assumes importance.”
Chancellor of Korea National Diplomacy Academy (KNDA), Kim Joon Hyung highlighted the significance of new diplomatic initiatives and measures.
Referring to Pakistan’s role in the emerging middle power diplomacy, termed it as instrumental in realizing stability and prosperity of Indo-Pacific region.
Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, Ham Sang Wook said the launch of MIKTA had come a long way, since its inception on the side-lines of the 68th UN General Assembly.
He stressed on the need to further the scope and diversify dialogue channels, especially in terms of an effective disease response.
Seonjou Kang of IFANS, in her video message, said the middle powers possessed top-30 global economies with more than $1 trillion GDP, but posed no military threats to their neighbours.
Special Representative of the Republic of Korea for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Lee Kyung-Chul underscored the enhanced cooperation for democracy and free trade; and said that member states should share information to have more weight in international affairs.