Amal Khalid - The subject of the discussion was “world order and Conflict” and the three keynote speakers were Andrew Small, Hina Rabbani Khar, and Vladimir Boyoko.
This session was moderated by Ejaz Haider who talked about the article 51 of the UN charter (right to self-defence) in reference to the statements made by president Francois Hollande regarding the Paris attacks and questioned the authenticity of such attacks on Syrian ground in the light of the articles 2 4 (a) and (b) of the UN charter.
Hina Rabbani khar on one hand displayed grief over the recent Paris attacks and the Tunisia bombings but on the other hand also raised some very serious concerns regarding the atrocities carried out against the Syrians and the Palestinians, and the refusal of the International community to take action accordingly. She then expressed her disappointment in all the stakeholders involved in Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan who for their different personal objectives fund and empower the non-state actors but refuse to deal with the civilian causalities that come along with it.
“There is no world order; we sow all the seeds for disorder again and again and empower non state actors who then come and haunt us in other forms,” she added. She also questioned the authenticity of the Drone attacks carried out by the United States government on Pakistani and Afghani soli and asked “would the international community be as acceptable had it been North Korea carrying out the same attacks in line of self defence on any other country.”
Andrew Small commented on the USA-China relations and shed some light on the ongoing contest between the two countries over East Asia. “China is the biggest challenge for the USA” he added. Chinas current economic reforms and policies such as the Silk Road, China-Pak Economic corridor, Asian infrastructure investment bank etc. are threatening for the US as China promises to make the world less US-Centric. China wants to realize greatness in East Asia but has a more indirect approach as it’s afraid of being channelled into the zones of instability.
Vladimir Boyoko who specializes in Asian studies had some interesting remarks regarding the ongoing conflict in Syria and the primary objective of the major stakeholders involved. “In Syria the conflict is all about Gas and Oil” he said. He also discussed the role of NATO in the East Asian Region and the benefits gained by the major parties involved in it.