Post-Pulwama Differences Should be Resolved: SCO to India & Pakistan

Guwahati: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) led by the China regional security bloc said that India and Pakistan should resolve their differences in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack bilaterally that took place on 14 February cautioning them against any spill over of the animosity in the group.

The newly appointed Secretary General of SCO, Vladimir Norov said that India and Pakistan have to remain committed to fighting terrorism otherwise it would be impossible for both the countries to participate in the SCO.

Norov further stated that the SCO members were sincerely glad that the calls for restraint and a political and diplomatic solution to bilateral conflicts from all the SCO member states were heard by the parties.

He said that the whole world has heard clear signals from the parties not to escalate relations and their readiness to fully understand and follow the principles established within the organization.

However, the SCO secretary general didn’t comment on the wide differences between India and Pakistan and even China on terrorism and specific terror suspects. It was after several years of negotiations that India and Pakistan were admitted to the six member group in 2017.

The history of hostility and more recently the military engagement between the two countries following the Pulwama attack have raised questions on whether New Delhi and Islamabad will be able to set aside their differences when sitting at the same SCO table in China.

The SCO secretary general when asked about how and whether the SCO will be able to iron out the differences on a crucial issue like terrorism among India, Pakistan and China, he said that India and Pakistan will have to work together in the SCO.

The other SCO members are Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Addressing Norov’s first press conference at the SCO headquarter in Beijing, he said, “Before joining the SCO as full members, India and Pakistan committed themselves to strictly implement all the provisions of the legal framework that has been developed by the member states of the organization.”

The SCO acquired a trans-regional character with the joining of India and Pakistan.

Norov further stated that the SCO has acquired a trans-regional character and in terms of its aggregate potential, the total population, territory, reserves of natural resources, GDP has become the largest organization not only in the region but also in the world.

He further added that for SCO members, counter terrorism and cooperation in the field of security were very important issues.

The SCO charter defines joint counteraction to terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their manifestations as one of the important tasks.

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