‘Menace of terrorism continues…’: Jaishankar’s indirect attack on Pakistan at SCO meet
GOA,MAY 5 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday slammed Pakistan, although without directly referring to it, on terror at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Goa.
Talking about terrorism, EAM Jaishankar said that the menace of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, continues unabated.
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“The menace of terrorism continues unabated. There can be no justification for terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. Combating terrorism is one of the original mandates of SCO,” said EAM Jaishankar at SCO foreign ministers meet in Goa.
Jaishankar, at SCO, further added that “the terrorism menace and terror funding must be stopped.”
“Taking our eyes off terrorism would be detrimental to our security interests. We firmly believe there can be no justification for terrorism. It must be stopped in all its forms, including cross-border terror. Channel of finances for terrorist activities must be seized and blocked without distinction,” said EAM Jaishankar at SCO foreign ministers’ meeting.
Hosting the first-ever Indian presidency of SCO, EAM Jaishankar said, “Under our presidency of SCO, we successfully concluded more than 100 meetings and events, including 15 ministerial level meets.”
“India attaches great importance to development of multifaceted cooperation in SCO and to promotion of peace, stability,” said EAM Jaishankar.
India also proposed English as SCO’s official language.
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The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan became permanent members in 2017.
India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.
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India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.
-PTI
