Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that global peace efforts can no longer depend solely on governments, but must also involve wider participation, including informal diplomatic communities known as ‘Track Two’.
Anwar said the Track Two ecosystem, which includes academics, think tanks and civil society representatives, plays a crucial role in creating space for honest dialogue and addressing complex issues that are often difficult to resolve through formal diplomatic channels.
“While various governments, including Malaysia, are working hard to persuade conflicting parties to end military operations, we must also recognise that the responsibility of advancing peace does not rest on governments alone,” he said at the Kuala Lumpur–Ankara Dialogue jointly organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia and the SETA Foundation today.
He added that Track Two actors also carry an important responsibility in facilitating open engagement and difficult discussions that cannot always take place at the official level.
Anwar noted that although the modern world is driven by nations with strong military and economic power, a country’s stability and prosperity ultimately rest on three key pillars: sovereignty, resource security, and self-defence capability.
However, he said another critical element must not be overlooked — strong interdependence through bilateral and multilateral relationships.
He warned that there is currently a growing erosion of sovereignty due to unchecked military actions that undermine the foundations of international stability.
Commenting on developments in the Middle East, Anwar described ongoing military operations, including attacks on Iran, as a serious deviation from accepted norms, with little regard for human life and humanitarian values.
He also criticised temporary ceasefires that often serve only as brief pauses before renewed escalation of conflict.
“What is needed now is not just conflict management, but a comprehensive resolution based on mutual respect and adherence to international law,” he said.
Anwar further warned that prolonged conflicts risk triggering a new and dangerous arms race, while deepening mistrust among nations in the affected regions.
He reiterated Malaysia’s principled stance as a friend to both Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, stressing that regional peace must be restored through cooperation and the rejection of external aggression.
