Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Pakistan. He said that terrorism and business cannot go together. Without naming Pakistan and China, Jaishankar said that all countries need to respect each other's borders.
The Indian Foreign Minister told both the neighboring countries that if there is a decline in friendship among the SCO member countries and there are tense relations with the neighboring countries, then they should think about it. He further said that if there is a lack of trust among us then we should think about it and look within ourselves to understand the reason. Earlier, while opening the SCO meeting, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan wants peace, security and economic progress. The Indian Foreign Minister said that cooperation in SCO should be based on mutual respect and equality of sovereignty. It should recognize territorial integrity and sovereignty. This should be a real partnership and not a one-sided agenda. It is noteworthy that when Dr. Jaishankar was giving his speech, the live telecast of the summit on Pakistani television was stopped. This statement of Jaishankar has come at a time when China has raised the issue of Kashmir in Pakistan.
Foreign Minister recalls the goals of SCO
Dr. Jaishankar told SCO members, I request you to pay attention to Article 1, which explains the purpose and function of the SCO. Its main objective is to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good neighborly relations. One of its objectives is to increase cooperation in various fields, especially at the regional level. The Charter of the SCO makes it clear that we face three core challenges – terrorism, separatism and extremism – to which the SCO is fully committed.