External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday bluntly told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in the presence of his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that terrorism in all its forms and its financing should be stopped without any discrimination.
In his address at the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, Jaishankar indirectly hinted at Pakistan saying that ignoring terrorism would be detrimental to the security interests of the grouping and when the world was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects Even then the problem of terrorism remained as it was.
The External Affairs Minister, who is chairing the conference, said that it is India’s firm belief that terrorism cannot be justified at all. He also said that countering this menace is one of the fundamental mandates of the SCO.
“We should not allow any individual or country to hide behind elements other than the government,” he said. Jaishankar also underlined that connectivity is the key to progress, but it must take into account the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states.
Chinese Foreign Minister Xi Jinping and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and their counterparts from other SCO countries held a meeting at the resort in Goa. Jaishankar also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the consequences of geopolitical turmoil affecting the supply of energy, food and fertilizers.
Jaishankar said, ‘Ignoring terrorism would be detrimental to the security interests of the group. We firmly believe that there can be no justification for terrorism. All forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, must be eliminated. Members do not need to be reminded that countering the threat is one of the fundamental mandates of the SCO.
On Afghanistan, he said, “We remain focused on the evolving situation in that country.” Our efforts should be towards the welfare of the Afghan people. “Our immediate priorities in Afghanistan include delivering humanitarian assistance, ensuring a truly inclusive government, combating terrorism and protecting the rights of women, children and minorities,” the foreign minister said.
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In his address, Bilawal said, ‘The collective security of our people is our joint responsibility. Terrorism remains a threat to global security. Taking a dig at the Indian side, he said in his statement, “One should not fall into the trap of weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic gains.”
Pakistan’s foreign minister said, ‘When I speak on this subject, I speak not only as the foreign minister of Pakistan, whose people have suffered the most in most attacks, I also speak as that son. I speak whose mother was murdered by terrorists.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi in 2007. Bilawal said that he and his country are firmly committed to being part of regional and global efforts to eliminate terrorism.
It requires not only a comprehensive approach but also a collective approach, he added. It demands that we tackle the root causes as well as the threats posed by specific groups. Bilawal said, ‘For this it is necessary that we face this challenge unitedly instead of fighting separately. For our success, we need to see this issue separated from the geopolitical situation.
In his address, Jaishankar said the current crises facing the world have exposed the lack of credibility and trust in the ability of global institutions to manage challenges in a timely and effective manner. He said that reform and modernization of SCO would provide a more contemporary approach which India would actively support.
EAM also mentioned the progress regarding the admission of Iran and Belarus as full members of the SCO. He also said that constructive steps are being taken to make English the third official language of the SCO. Currently, Chinese and Russian are the two official languages of the SCO.
Jaishankar also appreciated the support of the member states for India’s proposal on start-ups and innovation and setting up of two new working groups on traditional medicine. In his address, Pakistan’s foreign minister also said about the challenge of terrorism that there are practical solutions to end ‘this chapter once and for all’.
“We should stop associating non-government elements with government elements. Condemn all forms of terrorism including state sponsored terrorism. Bilawal also called on the ‘interim government of Afghanistan’ to stick to its commitments of not allowing Afghan soil to be used for terrorism.
Also Read: SCO meet: All kinds of terrorism including cross-border terrorism should be stopped – Jaishankar
Pakistan’s foreign minister also made a special mention of the “commendable role” played by China in resolving differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran recently. “We must ensure respect for these universally recognized principles within the SCO,” Bilawal said. Unilateral and illegal steps by nations in violation of international law and Security Council resolutions are contrary to SCO objectives.’
“We must be clear about upholding our commitments and building a new future for our people, one based not on perpetuating conflict, but on conflict resolution,” he said. SCO is an influential economic and security grouping and has emerged as one of the largest intra-regional international organizations.
The SCO was founded by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan at a conference in Shanghai in 2001. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
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