Pakistan’s Geopolitical Priorities and the “Russia Factor†: History and Modernity

The article evaluates the State of Pakistan’s geopolitical priorities based on comparative analysis methods. The depth of the degree of diversification of relations with the country’s principal allies, the United States and China, is compared. It shows how the bilateral relations of the Islamic Republic with the USA and China have developed after 1947. It is noted that the relations of the “notional alliance† with the United States shaped the foreign policy course of Pakistan from the moment of independence to the events of September 11[th] , 2001. The author traces the formation of “all-weather alliance†relations between Pakistan and China and highlights their main causes. The article shows how and why China is turning into a pivotal ally of Pakistan. The main trends in the development of Soviet-Pakistani and Russian-Pakistani relations are traced. The restrictive factors hindering the development of bilateral relations are demostrated. The conclusion is drawn about the need for the guiding influence of the state on the expansion and deepening of the relations between Moscow and Islamabad.