‘SCO has emerged as key platform for peace’

Putin, Sharif, Xi, Raisi, Lukashenko, Tokayev and other leaders virtually participate in SCO meeting…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the past 20 years has emerged as an important platform for peace, prosperity and development in the entire Eurasia region. He said that India sees SCO as an extended family.

In his virtual address at the 23rd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State, PM Modi said that several new platforms such as the Young Scientist Conclave, Authors Conclave, Startup Forum, and Youth Council have been organized to harness the talent of the youth from SCO countries. “Over the past two decades, the SCO has emerged as an important platform for peace, prosperity and development in the entire Eurasia region. India’s thousands of years old cultural and people-to-people ties with this region are living testimony to our shared heritage,” he said.

PM Modi chaired the SCO meeting virtually. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other leaders virtually participated in the SCO meeting.

PM Modi said that India has made efforts to take its multi-faceted cooperation with SCO to new heights.

“We do not only see the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) as an extended neighbourhood, but rather as an extended family. As Chair of the SCO, India has made efforts to take our multi-faceted cooperation to new heights,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi noted that security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and environmental protection are pillars of India’s vision for SCO.

“India has established five pillars of cooperation within the SCO: Startup and innovation, traditional medicine, youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and shared Buddhist heritage,” he said.

The theme of India’s chairship of SCO-SECURE is derived from the acronym coined by PM Modi at the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit. It stands for S: Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, E: Environmental protection.

Tough talk on terror

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, in an apparent attack on Pakistan and China, called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to not hesitate to condemn countries that use cross-border terrorism as ‘policy instruments’ and shelter terrorists.

“Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies and give shelter to terrorists,” Prime Minister Modi said adding that the SCO should not hesitate to criticise such countries and “there should be no double standards on terrorism.” Addressing the 23rd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation through video conference the prime minister said that “Terrorism is a threat to regional and global peace, we will have to fight against terrorism.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, China’s President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin among others participated in the summit.

“Terrorism has become the prime danger for both regional as well as global peace, and decisive action is necessary to deal with it. Terrorism in whichever form or expression, we have to collectively fight against it. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as instrument of their policies and harbour terrorists. SCO should not refrain from criticising such nations,” PM Modi said.

He added, “There should not be any place for double-standards on such a serious issue. We should also increase cooperation to deal against terror financing. We should take further steps to stop the radicalisation of youth in our countries. The joint statement being issued on the issue of radicalisation is the proof of our shared commitment”.

Last month, China had blocked a proposal by India and the United States at the United Nations to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist.

This move of China was sternly criticised by India, as even after 15 years since the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the masterminds behind the atrocity have yet to be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, in his virtual address to the SCO heads of the summit meeting, PM Modi also laid focus on the situation in Afghanistan and said that Afghan soil should not be allowed to be used to destabilise its neighbourhood.

The Prime Minister said that humanitarian assistance and setting of an elected government in Kabul are major priorities of the SCO.

“The situation in Afghanistan has directly affected the security of the region. India’s concerns and aspirations for Afghanistan is at par with other SCO countries. We will have to collectively work for the welfare of the Afghan people. Humanitarian assistance to Afghan citizens, forming an elected and inclusive government, fighting against drug trafficking and terrorism, and ensuring the rights of women, children and minorities- these all are our shared priorities,” he said.

PM Modi added, “India and Afghanistan have age-old ties. Over the last two decades, India has contributed to the economic and social development of Afghanistan. We have continued to send assistance even after the 2021 episode. It is important that the Afghan soil should not be used to spread instability in neighbouring countries or to encourage extremist ideologies”. (ANI)

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