ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said he will present
Pakistan’s case at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) forum
and will seek full membership of the organization.
He expressed
these views while talking to mediamen on Sunday at airbase before his
departure for a two-day visit to Russia’s city of Saint Petersburg to
represent Pakistan at the 10th Heads of Government meeting of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO). PM is attending the summit on the
invitation of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The Prime
Minister said SCO is an extremely important forum and the meeting will
focus on security and economic issues. He said the SCO countries will
hold discussions on regional infrastructure, connectivity, energy
projects and various other areas of mutual interest. Gilani will meet
the Prime Ministers of Russia and China on the sidelines of the SCO
meeting, which will take place on November 7.
He said he will be
meeting the Russian premier for the third time and gas imports and
issues related to Pakistan Steel Mills will come under discussion.
To a question, the Prime Minister stressed that trade is an important component of regional cooperation.
He
said Pakistan has already signed a transit trade agreement with
Afghanistan and is looking for ways to expand commerce with Central
Asian states.
The focus will remain on bolstering trade with immediate neighbours of Pakistan, he added.
The
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional security platform
whose profile and scope of agenda, has assumed great importance over
the years.
The SCO, founded in Shanghai in June 2001, groups
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Pakistan holds the observer status along with Mongolia, India, and Iran
whereas Sri Lanka and Belarus have been granted the status of dialogue
partners.
The upcoming session is aimed at highlighting
importance of coordination among the member states on issues of
resolving economic crises and developing trade and diplomatic ties along
with other observer states and regional partners. Online
