Page 3 - Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto describes his India visit as a 'success'

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday said his visit to Goa was a "success" as he advocated his country's case on the soil of India. His remarks came hours after his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar accused him of being a "promoter, justifier and a spokesperson of a terror industry." Addressing a press conference after his return from Goa where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting, Bhutto Zardari said his trip to India was a success as it helped to negate the view that every Muslim was a terrorist. We made an attempt at breaking this myth, Bhutto-Zardari said. Jaishankar mounted an offensive against Bhutto-Zardari in his address at the SCO meeting, contending Pakistan foreign minister's statement that terrorism shouldn't be "weaponised for diplomatic point-scoring", in remarks seen as directed at India. Hours later at a press conference, Jaishankar said Bhutto-Zardari's statement on the weaponisati

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Perils of new multilateralism

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Chinese FM Qin Gang calls for joint efforts against terrorism, separatism

China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Friday called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to deepen security cooperation, jointly combat the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism and uphold strategic independence. In his speech at the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting in Benaulim, Goa, Qin took a veiled dig at the US, saying that the world is faced with multiple crises and challenges featuring a resurgence of the Cold War mentality, headwinds of unilateral protectionism, as well as rising hegemonism and power politics. He put forward a five-point proposal to build a closer SCO community with a shared future, one of which was that the eight member states should deepen security cooperation and jointly crack down on terrorism. "The SCO members should continue to jointly crack down on the 'three forces' of terrorism, separatism and extremism, drug trafficking and transnational organised crimes, support Afghanistan in establishing a broadly-based and

SCO summit: Victims of terrorism don't sit with perpetrators, says EAM

Both nations should sit together on terrorism: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during first visit to India by a Pak FM in a decade

India and Pakistan take veiled swipe at each other at SCO meeting

India and Pakistan on Friday took a veiled swipe at each other at a SCO meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar demanding tough action against cross-border terrorism and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari calling for not getting caught up in "weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point-scoring". In his address at the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here, Jaishankar said the channel of finances for terror activities must be blocked without any distinction even as Bhutto Zardari raised the issue of "violation of international law" which was seen as an apparent reference to Kashmir. The SCO norms do not allow raking up bilateral issues and the two foreign ministers did not name any country and made the comments indirectly. Chairing the conclave, Jaishankar said taking the "eyes off terrorism" would be detrimental to the security interests of the grouping and that when the world was engaged in facing the Covid-19 .

Bhutto-Zardari calls for collective approach by SCO to combat terrorism

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday called for a collective approach by the SCO to combat terrorism and not get caught up in "weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point scoring". His remarks at the India-hosted conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Goa came shortly after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism, must be stopped. "... We firmly believe that there can be no justification for terrorism and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism," Jaishankar said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan's support to terrorist activities against India. Bhutto-Zardari in his address said terrorism continues to threaten global security and that collective security of our peoples is our joint responsibility. "Let's not get caught up in weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point scoring," he said, in comments seen as a veiled dig at ...

Jaishankar seeks support to make English 3rd official language of SCO

Jaishankar said that India has initiated an unprecedented engagement with SCO observers and dialogue partners by inviting them to participate in more than 14 social-cultural events

Channel of finances for terrorism must be seized, blocked: Jaishankar

India on Friday called upon the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to focus on firmly combating terrorism with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserting that the menace must be stopped in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. In the presence of Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, China's Qin Gang and Russia's Sergey Lavrov, Jaishankar, in his address at a conclave of the SCO, said taking the eyes off terrorism would be detrimental to security interests of the grouping. The external affairs minister said the channel of finances for terrorist activities must be seized and blocked without distinction. While the world was engaged in facing COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences , the menace of terrorism continues unabated, he said, in remarks seen as directed at Pakistan. "We firmly believe that there can be no justification for terrorism and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations, including ...

TMS Ep426: Indian jobseekers, cricket aggression, FPI inflows, SCO

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Pak foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto arrives in India to attend SCO meet

Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived in Goa on Thursday to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the first such high-level visit to India from the neighbouring country since 2011. Bhutto Zardari's visit comes amid continued strain in ties between India and Pakistan on a number of issues including Islamabad's continued support to cross-border terrorism. People familiar with the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) conclave preparations said there is no plan for a bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bhutto Zardari so far as there was no request for it from the Pakistani side. "On my way to Goa, India. Will be leading the Pakistan delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization CFM. My decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan's strong commitment to the charter of the SCO," Bhutto Zardari tweeted ahead of his arrival here. "During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I lo

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in India today: A look at the legacy of his family

SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting: A Pakistani foreign minister will attend a meeting in India after 12 years, but Bhutto Zardari comes with a long political legacy

SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting to kick off in Goa today; all you must know

Pakistan's foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto will also attend the meeting but it is unclear if he and Jaishankar would conduct a bilateral meeting or not

Two-sided triangle

The SCO summit is a good moment to take stock of how the strategic situation has changed. While India's power has grown phenomenally in 10 years, it remains caught in the China-Pakistan pincer

SCO Summit 2023: India, Russia resolve to strengthen defence cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart, General Sergei Shoigu, vowed on Friday to strengthen the India-Russia military partnership while expressing satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect in the ties. Singh and Shoigu held extensive talks, covering the regional security situation and key aspects of bilateral defence relations, including industrial partnership, at a meeting on the sidelines of a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here. An Indian readout of the meeting said the two ministers also discussed the Russian defence industry's participation in the "Make in India" initiative in the defence manufacturing sector and ways to provide further impetus to it. It said Singh and Shoigu discussed matters relating to regional peace and security as well. "They expressed satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in defence, and reiterated their commitment towards strengthening

Need to erase terrorism, fix liability of supporters: Rajnath at SCO meet

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member nations to collectively work towards eliminating terrorism in all its forms and fix accountability on its supporters, in an oblique reference to Pakistan. Chairing a conclave of defence ministers from SCO countries, Singh said India envisioned a robust framework of regional cooperation which "mutually respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states by taking care of their legitimate interests". With Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu listening, Singh also said that New Delhi strives to further bolster trust and cooperation among the members of the grouping as it believes in maintaining peace and security based on the provisions of the UN charter. Elaborating on the need to contain terrorism effectively, Singh asserted that any kind of terrorist act or support to it in any form is a major crime against humanity and peace and prosperity cannot coexist with this ..

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to attend SCO meeting in Goa

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in India early next month, Russian officials said on Thursday. India is hosting the meeting of foreign ministers of the SCO countries in Goa on May 4 and 5. "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states in India," a Russian official said. "There will also be an exchange of views on topical issues of the international and regional agenda," the official said. In addition, the Russian foreign minister will have a number of bilateral meetings, he added. The SCO member countries are Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

All issues at LAC need to be resolved as per existing pacts: Rajnath Singh

Singh said this at a bilateral meeting with Li amid the three-year border row along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained ties between the two sides

Rajnath Singh to chair SCO defence ministers' meeting in Delhi on Friday

The fast evolving regional security situation, developments in Afghanistan and ways to boost cooperation in effectively combating terrorism and extremism are set to be the key focus of a conclave of the defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Delhi on Friday. Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu, Tajikistan's Colonel General Sherali Mirzo, Iran's Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani and Kazakhstan's Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov have already arrived in the national capital. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his counterparts from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are also attending the meeting to be chaired by Rajnath Singh. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is set to attend the meeting through virtual mode. Officials involved in preparations for the meeting said the main focus of the deliberations will be on regional security situations including the developments in Afghanistan. They said enhancing coordination among the SCO memb

Rajnath Singh to chair SCO Defence ministers' meeting on April 28

India considers SCO as an important regional group to promote multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region