India’s External Minister S Jaishankar while speaking at the SCO conclave in Islamabad on Tuesday raised the issue of terrorism and slammed Pakistan for pushing terrorism in India.
Jaishankar said that if cross-border activities between India and Pakistan are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, then it is likely that the relationship between the two nations, bilateral trade and connectivity would take a hit.
“…if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism then they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel,” Jaishankar said in Islamabad.
“SCO’s primary goal of combatting terrorism, separatism and extremism is even more crucial in current times. It requires honest conversation, trust, good neighbourliness and reaffirming commitment to SCO Charter. SCO needs to be firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’” he added further.
Delivering India’s national statement at the summit, the EAM minister said, “Cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality, recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty and be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. SCO cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit.”
Jaishankar on significance of mutual trust and friendship
Amid ongoing wars and the world’s struggle to fight COVID-induced disruptions, Jaishankar talked about how the solutions to these challenges lie in strengthening mutual trust and friendship.
“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. Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – are impacting growth and development…I urge you to reflect on Article 1 that spells out the goals and tasks of the SCO. Let me summarize it for our collective consideration. The objective is to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness. It is to develop multi-faceted cooperation, especially of a regional nature. It is 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.”
Further in an indication towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Jaishankar called out the “unilateral” connectivity moves in the region while stressing that “cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.” Jaishankar noted that globalisation and rebalancing are realities that cannot be denied.
Pakistan had assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for 2023-24 at the previous meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023, where the country was represented by then interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani.
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