Pakistan’s participation in Shanghai Cooperation Group meeting in Delhi
The Shanghai Cooperation Group Security Advisers are meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, March 29, in which Pakistan is also participating. It is expected that the developments in Afghanistan will also be reviewed in this meeting.
India currently holds the presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and as such is hosting a meeting of national security advisers and other top officials of the SCO countries in the capital Delhi on Wednesday.
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will address its inaugural session. The Indian media has reported with reference to the officials of New Delhi that Pakistan has also decided to participate in this meeting on Wednesday.
However, Pakistan and China have not sent their delegations to New Delhi for this and both have decided to participate virtually through online video link. However, government sources have confirmed that Pakistani delegates will also be included.
A week ago, due to the dispute over the map of Kashmir, the Pakistani delegates did not participate in a seminar held at the level of Shanghai Cooperation Organization officials in Delhi. India had asked him to correct his map of Kashmir to present at the seminar or avoid attending.
According to reports, Russian Federation Security Council Secretary Nikolai Petroshev is in New Delhi and will also attend the meeting.
Wednesday’s meeting is expected to review developments in Afghanistan and discuss Russia’s plans for a Eurasian economic bloc to take forward.
Joining the Organization of Saudi Arabia?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2001. It consists of eight member countries namely India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Four countries, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are included as observers and six countries like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are negotiating partners.
According to the latest reports, Saudi Arabia’s cabinet has also approved the decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Wednesday.
It should be noted that despite US security concerns, Riyadh has decided to establish a long-term partnership with China.
According to the news agency Reuters, there were detailed discussions on joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Saudi Arabia last December.
Saudi Arabia will be granted dialogue partner status before being granted full membership in the organization, a first step towards accession. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey have already received this status.
Riyadh’s growing ties with Beijing have raised security concerns in its traditional ally Washington. Washington says that China is trying to increase its influence around the world, but there will be no change in the US policy regarding the Middle East.