India’s priority strives for sustainable development, better connectivity and world peace, pledges EAM Swaraj at SCO Meet
Beijing, April 24: India has always stood for the betterment of world by contributing to peace, climate, connectivity, economy etc. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stressed on India’s role towards sustainable development, facilitating a trade for a better economy, boosting connectivity, combating climate change etc while addressing Shanghai Cooperation Organization Meet in Beijing.
India has always fiercely voiced against the ‘terrorism’, exposing Pakistan for budding terror, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said “our fight against terrorism should not only seek to eliminate terrorists but should also identify and take strong measures against States that encourage, support and finance terrorism and provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups.”
Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers, in Beijing EAM Sushma Swaraj said “there are a number of challenges that are being faced by the world today, foremost being the threat of global terrorism and the imminent need to build strong security architecture to combat it. Terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights: of life, peace and prosperity. “
Further, she added saying that the criminal terrorist militias are not impeded by borders as they seek to destroy the architecture of international stability and build walls of fear in societies that believe in pluralism. Maiming & killing innocent lives indiscriminately constitutes the most blatant violation of human rights. We have to work together to wipe-out this scourge from the face of the earth.
EAM Sushma Swaraj pledged to combat terrorism unitedly, she said in order to realize this objective, we must unite across our differences, strengthen our resolve and script an effective strategy against terror. We welcome the clarity shown by SCO on terrorism from its inception.
Further EAM Swaraj continued saying that we should also urgently resolve to establish Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that India proposed more than two decades ago in the United Nations. We are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework for comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.
Highlighting the importance, EAM Swaraj said this meeting has a special significance for India, since, after becoming a full-fledged member of SCO, we would deliberate on issues relating to the forthcoming SCO Summit in June this year. SCO countries have been connected historically through shared commonalities, which we are constantly rejuvenating, he added.
India is committed to working with SCO to strengthen our economic and investment ties. We believe that economic globalization should be more open, inclusive, equitable and balanced for mutual benefits. Protectionism in all its forms should be rejected and efforts should be made to discipline measures that constitute barriers to trade, Swaraj added further.
Further, Swaraj said that we must promote liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment to inject greater impetus into the world economy. In this respect, we must continue to diversify cooperation in the fields of innovation and the digital economy, science and technology, energy, agriculture, food security, amongst others.
Speaking over Doha Development Agenda Sushma Swaraj said that SCO is a major platform for convergence in our world views on sustainable development, clean and healthy living, multilateral trading system, Doha Development Agenda, disarmament and non-proliferation.
We are committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement of 2015 on combating climate change. Addressing Climate Change and promoting secure, affordable and sustainable clean energy are our shared priorities, she added further. Following the establishment of "International Solar Alliance” in December 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted its Founding Conference in New Delhi in March 2018, during which the "Delhi Solar Agenda” was adopted, Swaraj informed.
Swaraj highlighted that connectivity with SCO countries is India’s priority. We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative. India has cooperated extensively with the international community for enhanced connectivity.
This is evident from our involvement with the
(i) International North-South Transport Corridor,
(ii) the Chabahar Port Development,
(iii) the Ashgabat Agreement,
(iv) India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project,
(v) Bangladesh-Butan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Initiative amongst others.
India has operationalized the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar, New Delhi and Mumbai last year. All these initiatives would further strengthen the entire spectrum of multi-modal networks in the SCO space, EAM Swaraj informed.
EAM Sushma Swaraj pitched for ‘peace’, she said I believe that peace and development in Afghanistan contributes to security & prosperity of the Member States and the region as a whole. This can only be achieved through political dialogue and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from terror and violence, within the framework of Afghan Constitution.
We must strongly support the active efforts of the Afghan Government to implement Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled, inclusive peace and reconciliation process. India actively supports the activation of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Moscow Consultation Format and other mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation for the restoration of peace & development in Afghanistan, EAM Swaraj added.