Islamabad: Calling “terrorism, extremism, and separatism” the “three evils,” External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday at the 23rd Meeting of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Council that the benefits of cooperation and integration may not accrue if these issues were not addressed.
“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,” said Jaishankar.
Underlining the importance of peace and stability for collective growth, the minister said, “Our endeavours will progress only when our commitment to the Charter remains firm. It is axiomatic that development and growth are required. And as the Charter spelt out, this means being firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’.”
In a veiled message to Pakistan, Jaishankar highlighted the importance of “good neighbourliness.”
“If trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate, if the friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address,” he said.
Highlighting the challenges before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the EAM said, “The objective is to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness. It is to develop multi-faceted cooperation, especially of a regional nature.”
He said the Organisation aims to be a positive force in terms of balanced growth, integration and conflict prevention. “The Charter was equally clear what the key challenges were. And these were primarily three, that the SCO was committed to combatting: one, terrorism; two, separatism; and three, extremism,” he said.
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Earlier, Jaishankar pointed to the difficult time in world affairs, referring to two major conflicts underway, each with its own global repercussions.
“The Covid pandemic has left many in the developing world deeply devastated. Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – are impacting growth and development,” he said.
He also called upon the SCO to respond to new challenges ranging from debt to slow progress in achieving SDG targets.
Pakistan PM Mentions CPEC
Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in an indirect jab at India during his opening speech, spoke about the importance of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) and advised New Delhi to stop looking at the partnership between Pakistan and China regarding CPEC and CPEC-2 through a political prism.
“Pakistan-China economic partnership in CPEC and CPEC-2 holds massive regional importance and should not be looked at through the lens of political prism,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif during his opening speech at the SCO meeting in Islamabad.
Even though PM Shehbaz did not call out India by name, the above-mentioned statement is an indirect sneer at India, which has been critical of Pakistan and China’s economic cooperation through CPEC and CPEC-2, the flagship project of China’s multi-billion dollar project under its One Belt One Road (OBOR).
EAM Jaishankar is among the prominent leaders present in Islamabad for the SCO meeting. The Union Minister landed in Pakistan on Tuesday and was seen with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif during the SCO family photo. Both had a comfortable and warm handshake at the dinner hosted by the government for all SCO member states.
It is pertinent to note that India has been critical of China and Pakistan and has repeatedly raised serious questions and concerns over CPEC projects, slamming Islamabad for allowing China to increase its presence in Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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–IANS
(Photo: MEA@X)
