Zubair Qureshi
To celebrate 57th anniversary of the “Treaty of Elysée” (January 22, 1963) which is the basis of German-French reconciliation and friendship, French Ambassador Dr Marc Baréty and his German counterpart in Pakistan Bernhard Schlagheck on Wednesday visited National University of Science & Technology (NUST) and gave a lecture on “German-French friendship as the ground for effective Multi-lateralism.”
The lecture was attended by good number of students, faculty members of the university’s Department for Public Policy and Governance and media persons.
At the interactive session organized by NUST Public Administration Society (NPAS), Dr Marc Barety traced the history of chequered relations between the two neighbouring countries and said though it was not easy to forget and forgive the bitterness of the past, deaths of millions yet in the interest of the two nations and for economic and political stability of their countries and prosperity of future generations the leadership of the two countries agreed to move forward together.
Dr Marc’s presentation was divided into two parts: How we became enemies and How we became partners?
He said in the 18th and 19th centuries and even before that both the French and the German nations were more or less in warlike situation.
He recounted a number of factors namely precarious geo-political situation, bitter history marked by hostilities and aggression and a sense of revenge that led to regional conflicts and wars.
However the factors that contributed to their partnership included apolitical push after the WWII, Multilateral and bilateral track, common economic interests (European Coal & Steel Community, etc), European Community and European Union.
Today, said Ambassador Marc Barety there are 185 Franco-German universities where students of one country are learning the other nation’s language. A cultural TV is also airing programmes that are of interest to viewers of both the nations and last but not the least, 170 billion Euros bilateral trade between France and Germany.
German ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck in his brief speech agreed with the French envoy saying our common task is to find balancing elements in bilateral relations.
Pakistan he said is the largest “one country” trading partner of the EU like Asia being the largest trading continent.
Franco-German stability also guarantees stability within the European Union. German ambassador to a question regarding gross human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) said German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently talked to Prime Minister Modi and expressed his concerns. We are closely watching the situation, said he. French ambassador also referred to a recent public statement in which the Indian government was conveyed the French government and people’s concerns over the situation in the Indian Administered Kashmir.
Dr Marc Barety replying to a question, suggested despite having bitter past, India and Pakistan could find some common ground like France and Germany that could lead to collective good and prosperity of the people.
Dean of the school of social sciences & humanities, Dr. Ashfaque Hassan Khan and HoD Department of Government and Public Policy, Dr. Riffat Hussain also spoke on the occasion and welcomed the distinguished guests.
A joint lunch for the staff of both the embassies also marked the German-French friendship while an interview to a private TV channel by both the ambassadors was also highlight of the day.
