Exclusive interview with Pakistan Ambassador to China
- By Gong Jie
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E-mail China.org.cn, January 7, 2010
On Dec. 23, China.org.cn reporter Gong Jie interviewed Masood Khan, the Pakistan ambassador to China, on climate change, the Shanghai World Expo, the Sino-Pakistani relationship, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The interview transcript follows:
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| Pakistan ambassador to China Masood Khan accepted an exclusive interview with China.org.cn in his office in Beijing, December 23, 2009. |
Gong Jie: Mr. Khan, as you have undertaken different jobs in diplomacy, including director general of the United Nations Disarmament Commission and spokesman for the [Pakistani] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what do you think of the relationship between these different positions? Which period of time impressed you most since you joined the [Pakistani] Foreign Service? What is the biggest challenge you have now as the Pakistan's ambassador to China?
Masood Khan: Diplomacy is a very good career. I recommend young students to consider it as a career because diplomats bring nations together. They make them work together for government purposes. Therefore, diplomats are nobly proud. The world comprises many countries and many regions, but diplomats work hard for close relations. It is a noble task. I think I was fortunate to become a diplomat, and I have enjoyed being a diplomat. Broadly speaking, diplomacy can be divided into two parts, though it can be divided into so many parts. One is bilateral diplomacy and the other is multilateral diplomacy. I think the object is the same, to make nations work together for government causes. For most of my time, I have been associated with multilateral diplomacy in the nation's department and other international organizations. There are challenges that countries with different perspectives should come to one common platform and try to reach consensus. So from that point of view, I think that through my career I have joined multilateral diplomacy in Geneva and in New York and in other places as a diplomat all over the world.
I enjoyed working as a diplomat, and also I worked on Asian social development, which I have enjoyed most. I think my best period has been of course in China. In 1992 and 1993, when I was young and became a diplomat, I studied Chinese. Then I was appointed to this embassy, so I would say that my formative years as a diplomat was spent in China, and this has had a deep imprint and stamp on my mind. I learned so much from Chinese diplomats and Chinese citizens.
You have asked what the challenge is. The challenge is how to deepen [relations]. We already have very high-level relations. We have made immense progress, including strategic partner relations between the two countries, economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts, but the direction from the leadership of the two countries should move this relationship to more highly developed engagement. That's the challenge, and we are working hard toward that as strategic partners. We should increase trade between our two countries, we should have more joint adventures, and our people should meet each other frequently.
