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The crisis in Middle East is not going to end soon and if, ended would not be to the likening of US, former ambassador Karamatullah Ghauri stated on Tuesday. Speaking at Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA on the topic 'Endgame in Middle East', Ghauri dilated upon the historical perspective of crisis in Middle East, which according to him traced back to the beginning of previous century, when oil exploration and movement of Jewish state in ME took place simultaneously.

Ghauri said though the end of present crisis in Middle East in the form of trouble in Syria, USA would be convenient as it is at good terms with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and no potential threat to Israel.

Arab nations are no more capable to blackmail the western economies through their oil tools as their dependency on oil and particularly on Gulf oil has reduced, former ambassador predicted and stated that this situation has reduced the political clout of Arab nations.

Highlighting the historical perspective, Karamat Ghauri said the present crisis should be seen in the backdrop of embargo on oil supplies to West by Arab nations led by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in 1973, which prompted then US secretary of state Henry Kissinger to declare, "We would not allow blackmailing of our economies and can land our forces anywhere."

USA, Ghauri pointed out that first neutralized Egypt by getting him into an agreement with Israel. After Egypt, there remained two powerful Arab countries i.e. Iraq and Syria. First, Iraq was dealt by pushing him to a war with Iran and then it invaded Kuwait, which invited the sanctions from the western world.

Ghauri said Iraq was neutralized completely by invading it on the pretext of weapons of mass destruction. Now it was the turn of Syria, which was encircled by encouraging the elements in Syria, which are against the autocratic regime of Asad Family.

Wahabis in the region were also made into swing against Syria regime, which was in alliance with Iran, ambassador Ghauri said and stated finally, IS was used against the regime in Syria.

He believed that endgame is not going to be likening of US despite all the efforts to topple the Basharul Asad regime as majority of Syrians don't want to see overthrow of the present regime in such a fashion.

He told the audience that present regime in Syria has now control over the entire country except Kurdish area, bordering Turkey.

Though he supported the right of Kurds to have their own separate state, he ruled out the possibility of such a state because all the four countries i.e. Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran having the Kurdish population would not let it to happen.

He said there is no endgame of crisis in Middle East as US would like to keep the region in such a situation for its own interests and for the protection of Israel.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019


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