Dec 25, 2010

Center for Conflict & Peace Studies (CAPS)
participated in the 6th Annual RNSSC plenary meeting of Regional Network of Strategic Studies Center (RNSSC) that was co-hosted by the Center for Strategic Studies, King Abdullah Academy for Defense Study from 11 – 14 November, 2010 in the Dead Sea, Jordan.

During the plenary meeting, three working groups composed of senior discussants addressed the pertinent issues related to, (1) A Comprehensive Middle East Peace and Implications for Regional Security and Economic Development; (2) Afghanistan: The Region’s Role and the Way Ahead; (3) Energy Security: The Role of Nuclear Power.

CAPS has been participating in RNSSC’s Reconciliation, Reintegration and Reconstruction (3R’s) working groups since its creation and appeared as the first independent Afghan think tank that represented Afghanistan in this regional network. Mr. Hekmat Karzai, Director of CAPS, has chaired the working group on 3R’s working group since 2009. In this plenary meeting, the Afghan delegation on ‘Afghanistan: The Region’s Role and the Way Ahead’ covered important debates on the peace process in Afghanistan by engaging with other working group members representing India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Russia, China, Turkey, U.A.E., and Saudi Arabia. The outcome of these working groups assist policy makers in gaining a better understanding of ground realities and holistic perspectives on regional issues allowing each member of RNSSC to share experiences.

In the second working day of the 6th Plenary meeting, there was a special session titled “Afghanistan: The Region’s Role and the Way Ahead” which Mr. Karzai chaired and spoke about the current reconciliation and reintegration initiative in Afghanistan and the role of regional stakeholders in the peace process. Following Mr. Karzai’s speech, Former Afghan Minister of Interior, Ali Jalali, Professor Yang shu, Vice President of Lanzhou University (China), Ret.  Ambassador SK Lamba, Special Envoy (India) Ambassador (Ret), Rustam Shah Mohmand (Pakistan), and Dr. Mohsen Shariatinia, (Iran) had short speeches in this session and presented their keynotes regarding t he topic.

In the last day of the Annual plenary meeting, Mr. Hekmat Karzai, presented special report on, “Reintegration and Reconciliation in Afghanistan: Recommendations from the Region,” that  was extraordinary help Afghan government and international community to hear the views of the expats in the region and take serious steps toward peace building in Afghanistan and the region.

Other analysts representing CAPS in the 6th Annual RNSSC plenary meeting were: Miss Mariam Safi – Afghanistan working group, Mr. Sayed Maisam Wahid – Issues of Government, Mr. Naweed Barikzai – Water Security, Mr. Amanullah Wardak – Border Security and Weapon Mass Destruction.

Each analyst from CAPS presented a comparative study of the political, governance, and security situation in Afghanistan and the region.