Pakistan

Visiting Russian general opens security talks

Top Russian military commander meets Kayani to discuss post-Osama regional security, say official sources.

Kamran Yousaf May 25, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

A top Russian military commander paid a rare visit to Pakistan in a latest sign of growing ties between the bitter cold-war rivals.

The visit by Russian Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Alexander Postnikov was the first by any senior military official from Russia in recent years.

General Postnikov met Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Tuesday at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. He also separately met Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Khalid Shameem Wynne.

The significance of the visit can be judged from the fact that the Russian general was given a guard of honor and full protocol upon his arrival at the GHQ, said a Pakistani military official.

“This kind of warm reception is given only to the dignitaries from friendly countries,” he added.

A brief statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations said that the two generals discussed matters of professional interest. However, official sources say that regional security situation following the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was the key topic of discussion.

The focus of their discussion was the Afghan endgame and how Pakistan and Russia can contribute to the stability of the war-ravaged country, the sources added.

“Pakistan and Russia certainly can work together with Afghanistan through trilateral and quadrilateral forums,” remarked a foreign office official.

The visit comes as Pakistan’s relations with the US have been severely strained by the killing of Bin Laden.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (25)

Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply @M Khan what naive statement. The Soviet Union had been supporting Afghanistan to take half our country go read history. They threatened to bomb us when we were not even a nuclear power. Read Khrushchev and his open threats to Pakistan.

Rana Imtiaz | 13 years ago | Reply Indians are so obsessed with Pakistanis that they do not stop coming here.LOL.Sometimes under disguise , a clear sign of cowardice and idiocy. In either way, no one welcome them which is a Pity , of course. Its all about attitude. With right attitude you can do many things but with the wrong one , you have enemies all around you.

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Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply @ Russian, I Know you are an Indian....... so booooo!!!!

lama | 13 years ago | Reply wow nicw.............

russian | 13 years ago | Reply Only a fool will believe russians trust pakistanis after a humoungous loss from super power status to regional power in UN and in world affairs ..Huge economic problem and terrorism in chechenya and caucus region and any time fear that bomb will blast in moscow and all this can be traced to one country ..No its not who gave you money to kill but who killed..That is pakistan who trained and sent mujahideens ..Now we are after some carrot and stick to give us control to the terrorist camps in waziristan where chechans train.. Its pure tactial relationship. We have huge military relationship with India and that is more than what you would know in public.

Bashir Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply When confidence is low, back is broken, mouth is thirsty and belly is hungry, the mind plays tricks and conjures mirages and strange designs. A visit by a russian general appears so exciting to my people as if the messiah has just landed. Goodness gracious- whatever happened to sensibility?

Rushd | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Pakistanis, You r very good soldiers, but not diplomats. Just see how India is managing Israel,Russia and US simultaneously! They get armaments from these three sources!! You have to be like this. Jump and get hold of Russia. World is changing fast, u have to maneuver accordingly. We don't want to see ur precious PC-3 Orions are burning...ur nukes r gone...ur armed forces decimated...You r the strongest Muslim country, u have remember it and don't screw up. Beside China this is the time to mend fences with Russia. Good luck. Dhaka

Moise | 13 years ago | Reply US is getting sidelined. As for Indian fan boys you country will be played against China and bankers going to fleece you till you are next Yugoslavia. Indians your enemies are banks and oligarchs.

D. Powers | 13 years ago | Reply Very few people know that Pakistan and Russia already have clandestine defense ties. Russian scientists and engineers are present in strategic defense installations in Pakistan. They are only going public now.

IWriteURead | 13 years ago | Reply But then US will ally India another power in Asia.... are we ready for that?

IWriteURead | 13 years ago | Reply Russia and China rocks ;) ....so did US but not anymore :P

destro | 13 years ago | Reply Agree with Akhtar ... Gwadar should be handed to Russians instead of Chinese. They are far more neutral & capable of handling the South Asian situation. Chinese are just glorified businessmen... they do not have the capability or clout to handle this mess.

M Khan | 13 years ago | Reply I pity our Generals & policy makers ... We are such a small country without much resources born just 63 years ago went to take on a country like Russia which was a super power and fought a proxy war with them for no freaking reasons ... They gave us PSM which is our economy's back bone .. Then we fought without any freaking reason against Israel who controls US policy and the world economy They have done nothing to Pakistan. Its time to kick all of those out of OUR Pakistan who fights for other countries and people. Why are we not having friendly relations with Israel and keeping an enemy without any reasons? Is getting oil on deferred payments or a getting some charity better than having own independent economy? When are people going to start supporting Pakistan first if not then please leave for your 'brotherly' countries like Palestine or Gulf who are never going to give you their nationality even let alone scientific research, education or better economy. Stop planning for short term gains.

Chacha | 13 years ago | Reply The chessboard of the "Great Game" played by the superpowers, of dominating Afghanistan and thereby central asia, has now moved to Pakistan. Pakistan is the future battleground between China, US and Russia. And the key to Pakistan is with India - as they are the only country who are capable of generating instant reactions in Pakistan ! India's actions on Kashmir, military build up, cold start etc will determine Pakistan's policy and evolution through Newtons third law (which states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction).

Amer Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Well Ashwin if India was played by Russinas over two decades, it's not a bad deal. I think this is all the end game in Afghanistan and nothing else, now that Indua, Israle and US are on one side of the game, Pakistani is trying to gather China and Russia and it is not a bad deal !!!!

Ovais Tariq | 13 years ago | Reply We should stop relying on America alone., and yes why can't we move on from the Afghanistan war and build good ties with Russia., after all Russia is a regional force isn't it.,

ashwin | 13 years ago | Reply Now Pakistan will played by Russians and Chinese.

alihussain | 13 years ago | Reply Stop iying to pakistani people he came to find out about chechen militants killed in pakistan as to why they were in pakistan undetected.

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Good Step....

Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Wow! that is amazing! I was not expecting this...not in the current decade, though I was hoping if both countries get closer. This is a very healthy sign. Pakistan needs to be globalised and tie relations with as many countries as possible and if Russia is on board chances of getting rid of IMF bait brightens...!

Representative | 13 years ago | Reply Salam, Finally our generals are getting smart enough to think out-of-the-box. ALLAH HAFIZ.

dilir | 13 years ago | Reply Are we observing the change of allies in the Afghanistan war?Can Pakistan really break free of USA?How can Russia contribute to Afghan peace plan?I think Pakistan is playing Russia-card just to get continued favor from USA!.

khalid Kamal | 13 years ago | Reply It is sagacious to make friends with neighbours next door.

nasirahmad | 13 years ago | Reply pakistan is a an islamic country. this country has given best people to the world. we are atomic power. so we hav't be dependent on one country. we have to give honour and respect to other countries leadership like Russian Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Alexander Postnikov. these kind of meetings can show our soverienity and independency. we also have to keep good relationship with america. because different organisations of america is working and helping in the devolpment of our country. and i like the step takken by pakistani gov't. still there is time to amend (rectify) ourselves.

Akthar | 13 years ago | Reply Isn't it better that we cozy up with russians instead of chinese? Russians have better technology, oil wealth & provide more aid than china. We can check mate the indians too. Like us they dont like US. Better give gwadar to russians. We can also help the russians in fighting militancy infact we are already attacking chechans here & the russians must be really happy. So friends, its russia china ties all the way! Inshallah!

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