Vice-President Hamid Ansari spoke on a wide range of subjects related to Indian diplomacy, geo-politics, morality and the emerging threats to the country while delivering a lecture at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Monday.
He was present on the occasion of first G Parthasarathi Memorial lecture dedicated in the memory of first vice-chancellor of the university. He spoke about achievements and contributions of Parathasarathi and said that he was one of the most influential figures of our nation.
Highlighting Parathasarathi’s contribution as a diplomat internationally, Ansari emphasised the need of ‘negotiations’ to deal with extrenal agression and internal threats. He said negotiations are cheaper than armed conflicts. “Much has changed since his time but State actors continue to be on the global scene with age old dilemmas. The value of a diplomat lies in his ability to communicate, negotiate and persuade. It requires patience and an ability to penetrate the thought process of the interlocutor. Negotiations must be conducted without illusions,” said the Vice-President.
He quoted the famous American political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinski over his opinion on the geopolitical equilibrium in the 21st Century. “In his opinion, Asia has to be based more on a reghionally self-sustaining and constructive approach to interstate relations and less on regionally divisive military alliances with non-Asian powers. The US can and should be key player in helping Asian countries to avoid struggle for regional domination by mediating conflicts and offsetting power imbalances among potential rivals,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the JNU, SK Sopory expressed deep gratitude and said that it was a matter of pride to have the Vice-President present at the JNU. “He is not just a wonderful politician but has been associated with the country’s prestigious institutions like the Aligarh Muslim University and the Punjab University himself,” Sopory added.