چالش های امنیتی در راه همکاریهای منطقه یی
The International Conference on
Reconstruction, Stability & Security of Afghanistan- The Role of Regional Countries
19-20 April 2006
Regional Security Challenges;
Afghanistan's Approach
1. Afghanistan in Regional Scene:
Our goal in regional cooperation is achieving a secure society and region for common efforts in development. Therefore let us think about this question for these goals are there any interest through new regional security integration? And what is the role of Afghanistan in this scene?
Region in Afghanistan's approach can be defined with elements of: neighborhood, common cultural historical and civilization area, harmony security and, cooperating in peace and development.
I am interested in discussing about the security challenges that are against of regional integration.
2. The Prospect of a Regional Security System
Security is a relative phenomenon; we can not understand the security of any country without understanding its interdependence with others. Regional security refers to a linking role of national security and international security. Without the understanding of regional security, the situation of any country and the function of international powers in the region cannot be understood.
Afghanistan is located in a region that doesn't have a specific and obvious security status. We can identify three security systems around Afghanistan: The Middle East security system in west, The Indian Subcontinent security system in South Asia and the Central Asian security system in the north. According to this, there are two options to choose for Afghans: Afghanistan must either connect to one of the mentioned systems or try to create a new regional security system in the Greater Central Asia. The Greater Central Asia connects North and South Asia together and Afghanistan is situated in the center of that.
The national security of Afghanistan is defined according to an internal security approach, but most countries in the region define their national security with respect to external threats. The national security of Afghanistan has as its priority expanding the writ of government over the whole of its territory, providing security and the rule of law and neutralize spoilers of peace and combat terrorist bands and religious radicalism, fighting of opium cultivation and destroying smuggling networks and providing security for transportation of energy and goods. Afghanistan is not able to carry out most of the mentioned tasks alone because these security issues have a regional dimension and cannot be achieved without a regional co-planning. However, it is important to decide how collective security mechanism should be planned.
For defining a framework of relations between Afghanistan and its neighbors in December 2002, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China signed the Kabul Declaration on good neighborly relations.
Each of the regional countries has different concerns: the competition between India and Pakistan as two major nuclear power in the region, the tension between Iran and US, the presence of Russia's influence in Central Asia, the presence of US and NATO in Afghanistan are all overshadowing regional security concerns.
3. Neighbors and Security Challenges
1.3. Against Source of Insecurity
The Taliban derive support from an ideological base in Pakistan. Some circles in Pakistan by mobilizing religious extremism among the tribes along the border have destabilized Afghanistan and the region.
Now Afghan and Pakistani Taliban still find sanctuaries between tribes across the south border regions and publicly mobilize terrorist networks in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan's line with Pakistan extends over 1400 miles and there are more than 2000 passageways across the line. In September 2005 President Musharraf proposed a barbed wire or a wall between the two countries to prevent the movement of terrorists. While its acceptance by Afghanistan would implicitly recognition of the artificial border between the two countries, the plan is not acceptable. On the other hand President Karzai reviewed the fight against terrorism and emphasized paying attention to the source of terrorism which overspills from Pakistan into Afghanistan, believing that even such a wall cannot stop terrorists from crossing the border into Afghanistan.
About the issue of Durand Line (1) and its legal and political aspects much has been said and written, and I will just have a glance at Afghanistan's new approach related to the point: The policy of President Karzai, particularly during his recent visit to Pakistan is that Afghanistan looks for a democratic answer for this issue. President Karzai proposed lifting of visa obligation between the two countries (practically tribes people across the Durand Line do not believe in visa) and Karzai presented a new concept about “Afghanistan as a strategic depth for Pakistan” based on the economic profit and progress in the region, with the hope of achieving common interests in security and development instead of contradictions between the two neighbors.
Resolving the issue of terrorism needs a continuous critical and constructive discussion between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
2.3. Northern Neighbors
Afghanistan has 1200 miles common border with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in north.
The Regional Security Cooperation (Shanghai) is dealing with security concerns in the region in order is but also link to each other keeping institutional position and policies of Russia and China Afghanistan has an observation state in this organization.
The main questions related to future security arrangements in central Asia are domestic and increasing foreign presence and What will being the future arrangement of Central Asia’s security system? Some facts are:
1. In a territory that has for a long time been Russia's sphere of influence a tendency of escape from that center of power can be seen.
2. United States seeks to promote a revisionist policy in Central Asia.
3. Regional powers like Iran, Turkey, China, Pakistan and India are increasingly in Central Asia.
4. With the collapse of Taliban and stabilizing a democratic government in Afghanistan Side has vanished and the new Afghanistan can play a positive role in Central Asia security issues.
3.3. Iran’s Nuclear Programmers: Scenarios before
After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran was alternative between foreign policy on two approaches: revolutionary idealism and realism-pragmatism based on its national interest.
Afghanistan's foreign policy towards Iran, by understanding the existing sensitivities, successfully could establish balance between an alliance with US and one other hand observation of friendly relations with Iran as a powerful neighbor.
What is complicating the security situation in the region is tension between Iran and US on Iran's nuclear activities. Afghanistan is caught in the middle between a strategic alliy and an important neighbor. Several factor help to maintain keep friendly relations between Iran and Afghanistan:
1. Iran is one of the proper routes of access for Afghanistan to global markets.
2. Iran and Afghanistan have a common view on the problem of drugs.
3. The two countries have a common view on regional development particularly in the field of trade and regional transit.
4. There is a positive view and optimism in public opinion, academics and Iranian intellectuals on the experience of new democracy in Afghanistan. The Iranian reformists believe that the experience of democratization is a successful model in the region.
5. Iran has been an important supporter of the reconstruction of Afghanistan from Tokyo to London conferences.
Afghanistan’s approach about the tension between Iran and US can be explained in some points:
1. Afghanistan wants a region free of mass destruction weapons for peace and security in the short-term and long term.
2. What is complicating the case is the lack of direct negotiations between Iran and US which has been considered as a taboo in both counters policies, Afghan public can not understand and accept why a direct dialogue between Iran and US does not begin. As I know, many Iranians have also this question that if direct negotiation does not start, radicals lead the course and all doors will remain closed.
3. Iran probably has been accepting direct negotiation with US about stabilizing in Iraq, and after Taliban joint efforts of achieving political stability in Afghanistan, practically has shown indirect cooperation between Iran and America.
4. Iran understands Afghanistan’s concerns about security and stability and in the other hand Afghanistan knows Iran’s dissatisfaction with US military presence in the region. It is important considered that presence of US in Afghanistan is not a threat for Iran. For every kind of probable military action against Iran, US has a major force in Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and west of Iran and the strategic, military and economic part of Iran are in south, north and west of the country, such as Nuclear Reactor of Bushehr, commercial and oil assists are in south.
5. Therefore Iran’s strategic worry about Afghanistan is not real and its dissatisfaction only can have an ideological reason.
4. Internal logic of Suicide Terrorism
Suicide terrorism has changed the meaning and sense of security in 21 century. Suicide terrorism attacks the most vulnerable section of society innocent people. Though suicide terrorism shows the failing of enemies of the people of Afghanistan, but is chattering the psychological security of the society.
Suicide terrorism is not a religious and ideological battle and has no place in social traditions of Afghanistan. In fact, this kind of terrorism acts through employing a few individuals deceived by foreign security services.
The most effective way to confront suicide terrorism is recognition of the internal logic of this type of fighting. From 1980 up to now, in the countries that have had suicide terrorism has been extensive researches but the problem is that the suicide terrorism in different cases has a local model. In Afghanistan there is still little aware about suicide attacks.
The US attempted fighting against terrorism by trilateral coordinating of US, Pakistan and Afghanistan, in the last four years. One reason why terrorism networks are still active in Afghanistan is because the ways of Afghanistan and Pakistan are not common. The national security of Afghanistan to case on terrorism threats, and until overcoming terrorism security will fail in other fields. But in Pakistan the extremist groups do not make challenges for the national security. Even some of these groups are participating in local government and exercise control over politics, as well.
Clousewitz the founder of modern strategy says: "War is policy but in the other way" his thesis can be interpreted that also terrorism is a kind of war and politics, in another meaning… some circles in Pakistan have been using religious extremism as an important factor in its diplomacy and foreign policy. In addition from time to time has been granted excused making concessions for controlling and suppression of some of them.
It is difficult to be convinced that Pakistan is fully committed to in suppressing terrorism. Though it has agreement with the United State, any time when, some people are arrested or some schools are closed temporarily, after attention decreases, the activities of that people and schools start again. It is doubtful whather that any of the terrorist networks has not shattered completely.
5. Alliance Fighting Terrorism
In Afghanistan from the beginning of the new period in 2002, we follow an alliance approach in our foreign policy. Another alternative which Afghan and international analysis recommend, is observing multilateralism and balance in foreign policy.
United States has a long-term strategy in the region but this is a important issue that how this grand strategy effect on Afghanistan’ relations with the countries in the region?
In the Strategic Declaration between United States and Afghanistan at May 2005 it has been clarified to consolidate cooperation between Afghanistan and the neighbors and to prevent of foreign interference in Afghanistan.
The alliance paradigm in Afghanistan's foreign policy is based on the understanding of the international system, and the other hand United States recently has been the greatest supporter of Afghanistan.
Security threats in Afghanistan and the region as religious radicalism, terrorism, drugs need joint such efforts in the world and the region. Afghanistan is ready joint regional agreements to fight against terrorism, religious radicalism, drugs and free trade and transit with its neighbors and regional powers to make decisions.
Peace, stability and prosperity of the states in the Greater Central Asia depend on positive cooperation among the great world powers. Question is that how such arrangements are possible?
The theory of integration refers to common solution in regional issues. While Afghanistan has an active diplomacy with the intertional comunity but its relations with the countries in the region have remained limited. It is important that the diplomacy system finds ways to improve relations with neighbors as a main objective in Afghanistan’s foreign policy.
Conclusion
After the Bonn Agreement (2001) Security, Modernization and Reconstruction are three fields of priority for the Afghan government.
Suicide attacks in Afghanistan traced back to domestic political and social matters and more are planned in outside and imported to our country. So security in Afghanistan can just be a result of regional security integration.
Afghanistan is in alliance with the international community fighting against religious extremism and terrorism, and Afghanistan can have a positive role in the region, in the common campaign along with regional countries as well.
- The Loya Jirgha of 1949 declared not to recognise Durand Agreement and any decision in this case only is in authorised of Afghan Loya Jirgha