UK also appoints special envoy for Pakistan, Afghanistan
10 February, 2009
LONDON: Taking a leaf from the fast-changing US foreign policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the UK has also appointed a special envoy for the two countries that are being described in Western diplomatic circles as the major cause for concern in coming days and months.
Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, presently Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, will be working as the special representative of British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. He will be returning to the Foreign Office in London next month to take up his new appointment.
Making the appointment known, David Miliband said: “Sherard Cowper-Coles has made a major contribution to UK’s efforts in Afghanistan during his time as ambassador in Kabul. I want to continue to make use of his expertise as we take forward our work with both countries which is so critical to the UK’s own strategic interests.”
According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Sherard will be working closely with the British ambassador in Kabul and the high commissioner in Islamabad, but his focus would be “on the cross-cutting issues facing both the governments.”
Appreciating the foreign secretary’s decision, Mohammad Sarwar MP — who heads British parliament’s Scottish Affairs Select Committee and the Muslim Friends of Labour, UK — said both Pakistan and Afghanistan were very important countries for Washington and London if peace and stability was to return to the South Asian region and these new appointments ñ of Richard Holbrooke’s in Washington and Sherard Cowper-Coles’ in London ñ reflected that importance.
Talking to our sources, Mohammad Sarwar said: “It is also of vital importance that the blame game that at times puts unwanted pressure on the two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and consequently on us as well, should finish. Only then a workable peaceful solution of the complicated situation could be found.”
Foreign Secretary David Miliband — who attended the Munich Security Conference on 6-7 February and met senior decision makers, including heads of state and government, defence ministers, foreign ministers from Europe, China, America, Iran, Pakistan and India — had specific discussions on a range of global security risks and challenges that are set to confront the world over the coming year. Afghanistan was one of the top agenda items.
In his remarks prepared for the Munich conference, Miliband said that though Europe no longer feared conventional conflict because of the post- World War II recipe of collective defence and economic integration, the European citizens still did not feel secure. “Why? Because they know how the breakdown in law and order in Pakistan or Afghanistan can threaten their security — in London, Hamburg or Istanbul. They understand that without rapid action to secure a stable, global climate, untold damage could be done to our planet — and our way of life. They know that the threats we face are global — and that it is increasingly difficult for the individual nation state alone to provide the protection and security they seek.”
He hoped that Nato would succeed in bringing lasting peace in Afghanistan with the help of its European and international partners. Calling Afghanistan a “real test” for Nato, the British foreign secretary said: “It demands not just new capabilities and technologies, but troops trained for irregular or asymmetrical warfare. The sacrifice is enormous. But we should be in no doubt that if we leave before the Afghan authorities — especially the Afghan National Army that the coalition and the Nato forces are training — are able to defend themselves, the Taliban will be back, and the country will once again become a haven for those who seek to do us harm.”
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