ASTANA: Pakistan looks forward to enhancing its cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to eliminate the menace of militancy and terrorism from our region, said President Asif Ali Zardari.
The President expressed his deep gratitude to President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nazar-Bayev Nur-Sultan Nazar-Bayev, the Government and people of Kazakhstan, for their warm hospitality. He said that it is indeed a great pleasure to join you all at this historic Summit of the SCO and to commemorate its 10th Anniversary, says a press statement issued here on Wednesday.
The President said that Pakistan wishes to participate in SCO’s initiatives in promoting regional and trans-regional connectivity and trade. We wish to cooperate with countries in the region in financial and banking sectors, joint ventures in energy, infrastructure, education, scientific and technological development programs.
Pakistan is delighted to learn that Afghanistan has decided to seek observer status with SCO. This indeed is a welcome development. President Karzai paid an important visit to Islamabad recently. We had excellent discussions on the way forward.
We agreed to cooperate in fighting terror and in promoting regional connectivity and economic and trade cooperation. We have made great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and militancy. Militancy and terrorism pose common threats to our region.
Similarly, drug trafficking and production is not only harming our people but also fueling militancy and terrorism. There are serious threats to the security and well being of our societies.
We hope that our application for full membership would be processed expeditiously.
In the meantime, Pakistan intends to fully associate with all SCO programs for peace and development. We uphold its objective of regional peace and development. Pakistan also belongs to this very region. We share with its peoples, centuries of common history and culture. Apart from our geographical location, the geo-economic realities also encourage Pakistan to join the SCO as full member.
Asif Ali Zardari maintained that therefore, we take pride in the remarkable achievements of the SCO over the last 10 years. Our destinies are inter-linked. Pakistan looks forward to working together with the SCO countries for achieving shared prosperity and peace. Pakistan is committed to combating terrorism, extremism and separatism.
During the past ten years SCO has made significant contributions towards peace and development of the region. Pakistan is delighted to associate itself fully with the ideals, values and purposes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We share the SCO’s vision for the future. We agreed that the way forward to entering in a new era of peace and prosperity is pragmatic cooperation.
At this historic Summit, the President wished to convey to all friends and partners in the SCO, Pakistan’s firm resolve to work with you for the common goal of ensuring a bright future of our peoples. Online
