Pakistan to attend 53rd Munich Security Conference

Pakistan is all set to participate in the 53rd Munich Security Conference, which starts on Friday in the Bavarian City Munich, Germany. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will be leading Pakistani delegation in the three-day conference.

Pakistan’s ambassador to Germany Jauhar Saleem informed Geo News that the delegation will hold discussions on various matters including security situation and peace in Afghanistan and South Asia, and human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Munich Security Conference

Agenda of this year's conference is future of transatlantic relations and NATO after the election of Donald Trump, the state of European cooperation in security and defence matters, relations with Russia as well as the war in Syria.

Security situation in the Asia-Pacific and information warfare will also come under discussion.

“The conference is relevant to Pakistan as it is situated at a location where various positive developments are happening. We have a significant role to play in bringing stability and peace to the region and the world,” Saleem said.

He said Pakistan will continue to utilise opportunity presented by the conference to connect with world leadership.

Khawaja Asif to meet important world dignitaries

The defence minister reached Munich today to participate in the conference. He will be on the panel discussing “Countering Radical Extremism and Terrorism”.

Asif will meet important international and regional counterparts on the sidelines of the event. He will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif, British Defence Minister Sir Michal Fallon, and Prime Minister of Iraq Haider Al Abidi.

He also has a meeting with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Fillipo Grandi.

Asif is also invited for a standing lunch hosted by German Defence Minister Dr Ursula von der Leyen.

The conference also includes an event titled Economy Talks 2017, which is to hold discussions on the topic “The China Pakistan Economic Corridor – Business opportunities and Global Health Security Benefits”. 

The initiative has been taken by Pantelis Christian Poetis, Honorary Consul of Pakistan for Bavaria and Baden Wüttenberg, aimed at bringing together international decision makers to discuss matters including international economy, health, politics, education and science in a private and productive setting.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will also give a speech at the conference. She joins a long list of senior decision-makers meeting in Munich to debate critical international security issues.

The Ewald von Kleist Award will be awarded to German President Gauck on the occasion.

Among this year's confirmed participants are UN Secretary-General António Guterres, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and the Presidents of Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Senior government officials and premiers of various other countries will be participating, including China, Norway, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran.

The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth, and Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, will also be in Munich.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and singer and activist Bono are also set to participate.