Pakistan Finds Itself in Awkward Diplomatic Position – Foreign Policy

Welcome to Foreign policySouth Asia summary.

The most prominent events this week: Pakistan’s experiences a The wedding week of diplomacy Amid the United States joining Israel’s conflict, Iran; Officials from Bangladesh, China and Pakistan meet on the sidelines of a China and South Summit; Dhaka ends a loan agreement with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Where does Pakistan stand after Iran’s struggle?

Last week was the rotating ship of Pakistani diplomacy. While the interests of Islamabad, the political foreign political appeared relatively safely, they may have to deal with some local political damage.

Everything began with ASIM Munir, commander of the Pakistani army, visiting Washington, as US President Donald Trump hosted him for two hours last Wednesday-as the American leader said he was considering how to respond to the Israeli conflict Iran. Pakistan condemned the Israeli strikes on Iran, which precipitated the conflict and was calling for the cancellation of the escalation.

After that, Trump told the correspondents that Pakistani officials “know Iran well, better than most of them”, and that they are “not happy.” The next day, Trump announced that he would decide within two weeks whether the United States would join the Israeli campaign, indicating a willingness to give diplomacy an opportunity.

The timing sparked speculation in the Pakistani press that helped Monir persuade Trump to stop military action.

Then, on Friday, Pakistan announced its intention to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to secure the ceasefire amid Pakistan’s recent struggle with India. The move – which was known to the White House in advance – was an incentive to ensure the Moner’s meeting remained on the Trump agenda. It may also be a tactic to put India on the back foot.

However, the advertisement did not decrease well among many Pakistanis – especially after the United States fired military strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities during the weekend. Pakistan found itself in an embarrassing position of having to condemn the air strikes that a leader ordered that he praised the day before “practical diplomacy and effective peace building.”

Pakistan has sought to balance its relations with the United States and Iran. Until Trump’s announcement on Monday of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Pakistan seemed to face a setback. After Trump decided to bomb Iran during the weekend, it is assumed that Monir’s friendly association with Trump did not die well in Tehran. The excitement in Islamabad is one of the American strikes, putting it at odds with Washington.

The US -backed ceasefire, which is fragile to, gives Pakistan a decrease. It inflates how Islamabad and Washington are on the same page in their desire to end the conflict. It reduces the potential reaction that could have Moner’s participation with Trump on Pakistan’s relations with Iran.

However, although Pakistan’s diplomatic obligations have been reduced, there are still possible political costs that deal with them. The Nobel decision continues to arrange many people in Pakistan, not only because it preceded Trump’s strikes on Iran, but also because of the US President’s infection’s support for Israel amid its indisputable attack on Gaza.

Moreover, and New York Times Trump stated that Trump “decided to a large extent” to strike Iran last Tuesday, a day before his lunch with Munir. the Atlantic Ocean Reports that Trump informed the consultants about his decision the next day. All this indicates that Trump, who was unprecedented in Monir, the strongest character in Pakistan, was not a good look at the eyes of the Pakistani audience.

The civil and military leadership in Pakistan is unpopular due to economic tension, the restoration of terrorism, and the enormous clips of the political opposition. But the country’s struggle with India enabled it to recover some good intentions. The danger of Islamabad now is that the amazing diplomatic developments last week can be lost.

What we are following

The effects of Israel rippia Iran stop. This week, the ceasefire between Israel and Iran will lead to sighs from satisfaction throughout South Asia, but its fragility will keep the area nervous. The United States’s decision is Iran and Iran and the risks resulting from the broader regional conflict, the worst case for most of South Asia, which have close partnerships, energy and trade interests, and large numbers of expatriates in the Middle East.

South Asian summary also noticed, even India – with its deep relations with Israel – not interested in a long war. If the ceasefire collapses, New Delhi will face a new diplomatic dilemma: While most of its neighbors will throw their full support behind Iran, India will need to think if the continuation of the non -condemnation of Israel’s military actions will be a wise position.

China and South Summit. Last Thursday, Bangladeshi diplomats, Chinese and Pakistanis met on the sidelines of the Chinese and South Asian summit in Kunming, China. According to post -investigation readings, officials discussed the potential cooperation on climate change, agriculture, health, human resources and other non -security issues.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Bangladesh Rohoul Allam. Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun and Idung; And Amran Ahmed Siddiqi, the additional secretary of Pakistan for Asia and the Pacific. The Pakistani Foreign Minister Ama Balush joined the video link.

The meeting brings together the main geopolitical changes in South Asia since the resignation of former Prime Minister Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, under pressure last August. Bangladesh strengthened relations with Pakistan and climbed relations with China. It is possible that India has seen the gathering anxiously. Her private relations with Bangladesh have declined since the departure of Al -Hasina.

However, the three may have different perceptions of the meeting and its broader goals. Bangladesh said less publicly about discussion from China or Pakistan. While Islamabad described it as a new “triple mechanism”, Dhaka described it only as an informal meeting.

Bangladeshi analysts suggest that this may be because the unimportant interim government in the country is not in its position to follow up on the reorganization of an official strategy – an account that India will welcome.

The Minister of Defense in India, China. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh traveled to China on Wednesday to participate in a two -day summit from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). There, Singh will join defense ministers from other members of SCO, including Pakistan.

Singh is not expected to meet with his Pakistani counterpart, Khawaja Asif; Tensions in Pakistani India remain deeply tense after a struggle last month. But Singh’s margin is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Dong June on Monday, met with Indian national security adviser Ajit Duval, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Pikin.

The Indo -Chinese relations have improved in recent months, after a period of tensions after a fatal border clash in 2020. The two countries signed a border agreement in October and agreed to resume direct flights in January. In April, Beijing lifted a ban on the travel of Indian pilgrims to Mount Kayyish, a sacred location of Hindus and Buddhists in Tibet.

However, Chinese -Indo relations are now facing a new test. Pakistan has spread Chinese Chinese aircraft against India for the first time during the recent conflict, and used Chinese air defense systems and radar. This was a reminder of the dangers offered by the Chinese military coalition with Pakistan for Indian national security services. It can lead to some embarrassing moments in bilateral exchanges.

Under the radar

On Monday, Bangladesh ended an agreement worth $ 400 million with the Asian Investment Bank (AIIB) to obtain a loan that supports the country’s efforts to enhance the flexibility of climate change. AIIB is a major donor in Bangladesh. I have proposed or agreed to fund for about ten projects in the past five years alone.

But this last deal is especially important, as it comes in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to cut greatly and dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (the United States Agency for International Development). Bangladesh, along with other countries in South Asia, relied heavily on US development assistance and must now adapt to a completely different development financing image.

This shift will require finding new supporters and expanding cooperation with the current partners. The AIIB deal indicates that Bangladesh is now focusing on the last workplace. This is logical, given that it already contains a large number of dual and multi -party donors – from the European Union and Japan to the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

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