The External Affairs Minister is in Islamabad to participate in the 23rd Meeting of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Council of Heads of Government (CHG), which kicked off on Tuesday evening with a welcome dinner hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In a thinly veiled message to Pakistan, S Jaishankar on Wednesday said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism.

In his address at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar also asserted that cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality and that it should recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations. The external affairs minister led the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit in Islamabad which was chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Jaishankar said trust was key for cooperation and the SCO member nations can benefit immensely if the grouping moves ahead collectively. He said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. "It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit," he said, in remarks seen as an indirect reference to China's assertive behaviour on key issues. "But most of all, our endeavours will progress only when our commitment to the Charter remains firm. It is axiomatic that development and growth requires peace and stability. And as the Charter spelt out, this means being firm and uncompromising in countering the 'three evils'." "If activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel," Jaishankar said.

The external affairs minister underlined the need for every SCO member nation to strictly adhere to the charter of the grouping, highlighting its essence of strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness. "If trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate if friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address," he said. "Equally, it is only when we reaffirm our commitment most sincerely to the Charter that we can fully realise the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages," he added.

Jaishankar also referred to various global challenges.

October 16, 2024 1:04 pm

"We meet at a difficult time in world affairs. Two major conflicts are underway, each with its own global repercussions. The Covid pandemic has left many in the developing world deeply devastated," he said. "Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – are impacting growth and development," he said. Jaishankar also described the challenge of debt as a serious concern. "Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns,"Jaishankar said.

No cherry-picking, says Jaishankar

October 16, 2024 1:01 pm

Jaishankar said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. "It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit," he said, in remarks seen as an indirect reference to China's assertive behaviour on key issues.

Jaishankar says territorial integrity, mutual respect a must

October 16, 2024 1:01 pm

In a thinly veiled message to Pakistan, Jaishankar said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism. The external affairs minister led the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit in Islamabad which was chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Jaishankar said trust was key for cooperation and the SCO member nations can benefit immensely if the grouping moves ahead collectively.

First Vice-President of Iran

October 16, 2024 10:54 am

The First Vice President of Iran and the Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) , along with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also attend the meeting. The discussions are expected to cover economic cooperation, environmental issues, and socio-cultural linkages among the member states, alongside a review of the SCO's performance. Several important organisational decisions will be adopted, and the budget for the organisation will be approved. Despite no bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan scheduled on the sidelines of the summit, EAM Jaishankar's arrival in Islamabad has been highlighted by Pakistani political leaders. Notably, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif invited EAM Jaishankar to attend a protest rally in the capital. "We would also invite Mr Jaishankar to address our anti-government protest and see for himself how strong Pakistan's democracy is," Saif said.

2nd day of the meeting

October 16, 2024 10:54 am

The second day of the meeting will commence with Shehbaz Sharif welcoming the visiting leaders at Islamabad's Jinnah Convention Centre. The proceedings, including Sharif's opening remarks and a group photograph, will be followed by discussions and signing various documents. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming will address the media. A luncheon hosted by the Pakistani Prime Minister will conclude the meeting. In addition to EAM Jaishankar, the meeting will see participation from high-level representatives of the other SCO member states, including the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

SCO format

October 16, 2024 10:54 am

Ahead of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, "The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation. External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework."

This marks the first visit of an Indian External Affairs Minister to Pakistan since the late Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia Conference in Islamabad in December 2015. On Tuesday afternoon, the Indian delegation, led by EAM Jaishankar, arrived at Rawalpindi's Nur Khan airbase. India has consistently emphasised that better relations with Pakistan are contingent upon an atmosphere free from terrorism and violence.

Courtesy: The Tribune India :16th Oct , 2024