ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism and cooperative security, warning that the foundational principles of international relations, as envisioned in the Helsinki Final Act, are facing their biggest challenge in decades.
Delivering a statement at the UN Security Council briefing in New York, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasized the need to “rekindle the spirit of Helsinki,” avoid confrontation, and invest in dialogue and diplomacy.
He stressed that building confidence and security measures is a strategic imperative to reduce tensions and strengthen communication channels globally.
“The pursuit of hegemony and domination through military means cannot preserve comprehensive security; cooperation remains the most effective path,” Ambassador Ahmad said.
Highlighting the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), he noted its contributions to fostering dialogue, promoting peace, and advancing confidence-building measures in regions facing trust and security deficits. He also lauded OSCE efforts in Eastern Europe as a model for other regional organizations.
Pakistan reaffirmed its support for collaboration between the UN and regional bodies such as the OSCE, emphasizing that effective partnerships leverage complementary strengths in conflict prevention, transnational threat response, and post-conflict stabilization, in line with the UN Charter.
Ambassador Ahmad urged the international community to choose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, and inclusive security over bloc-based approaches. He called on the Security Council to continue supporting partnerships that strengthen a just, stable, and rules-based global order rooted in multilateralism.
