After several years of escalating US hostility towards Pakistan, a diplomatic exchange between Pakistani and US representatives has indicated signs of a warming relationship. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and invited him to a food security meeting at the UN headquarters in New York in mid-May—a first personal invitation to a UN event by the US. Both sides also discussed various aspects of the bilateral cooperation and expressed keen interest in re-engaging.
This is a different tune from what we have witnessed in the past few years, which included constant passive-aggressive statements, withdrawal of aid, and instigation of financial cases against Pakistani institutions abroad. In fact, this is the first contact between the foreign ministers of the two countries since September 2021; it speaks volumes of the nature of the relationship that there had been radio silence between the representatives for the last seven months.This positive start will no doubt fuel the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s allegations of a foreign conspiracy to oust the previous government. Regardless, non-hostile relations with major powers and Pakistan’s material involvement in international affairs that gravely impact us are a necessary cornerstone of good diplomacy. It is important to know how to navigate foreign relations tactfully and deal with disagreements between countries respectfully, and not take any ill-timed inappropriate actions that could unnecessarily make a political statement on the world stage.
In that respect, the new Foreign Minister is on the right path by engaging encouragingly and stressing the importance of partnership. Issues like food security affect developing countries like Pakistan gravely; a global discussion at the UN Security Council level can have material consequences on the world, and any isolation and lack of contact are detrimental to us. The engagement must continue, and we must take this forward positively.
https://nation.com.pk/2022/05/08/bringing-back-diplomacy/
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