SCO summit: Pakistan is adamant to fight terrorism, says PM Abbasi

It is the first SCO Heads of Government meeting that Pakistan will attend after assumption of full membership

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation HE Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi.

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev received PM Abbasi at the meeting of Heads of Delegations of SCO Member States in the restricted format.The Heads of the delegations had a group photo prior to the start of the meeting.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi.#SCO pic.twitter.com/HKnMMjr9ak

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) December 1, 2017

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi.#SCO pic.twitter.com/HKnMMjr9ak

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) December 1, 2017

The meeting is mandated to focus on the strategy, prospects and priorities for SCO’s developmental cooperation.



PM Abbasi addresses SCO summit

Addressing the auspicious summit, Abbasi shared saying that peaceful political settlements are the need of the hour and Pakistan is ready to contribute to SCO's mandate. Pakistan is fully committed to eliminate the evil of terrorism, the PM said as he mentioned that terrorism cannot be identified with any specific religion, country or nationality.

He further added that the future of SCO depends on deep bilateral relations, enhancing communication and connectivity through various means.

Harmonizing laws, movement of merchandise, removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers will further support SCO. Creating synergies between AIIB and regional stability through just means and investing more in fields of sports, medicine, education is imperative.

He also added saying that this is a historic opportunity for a trans-continental reach and Pakistan's blithely ready to contribute for their mutual advantage.

PM Abbasi thanked China for their constant support and congrtulated Tajikistan as the next host for SCO summit.

PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi meets PM of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan H.E. Sapar Isakov in Sochi today. Prime Minister congratulated Mr Isakov on assumption of office as Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan recently and expressed gratitude for Kyrgyzstan's support for Pakistan's SCO memberships. Prime Minister Isakov welcomed Pakistan as a valuable member of the SCO.

The two Prime Ministers exchanged views on ways to enhance cooperation in the framework of the SCO as well as bilaterally.

They expressed satisfaction that all agreements regarding CASA-1000 Project had been signed and the project was now in its implementation stage.

Both sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest including trade and defence. They also agreed on the need for greater cooperation between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the two countries.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi underscored that the development of a network of highways and motorways underway in Pakistan would benefit Kyrgyzstan and other countries of the region by providing connectivity to Gawadar and other ports of Pakistan. In this regard, he highlighted the significance of the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement signed between Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Kazakhstan. The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of connectivity within the ECO region, to which both Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan belong. Pakistan holds the Chair of the ECO.

Both sides agreed to develop a strong partnership between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi extended invitation to Prime Minister Sapar Isakov to pay an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience. The invitation was accepted.

Pakistan, along with India, in June became full member of the SCO.



Pak-Russia partnership strengthening positively will resolve outstanding issues forthwith: Khurram Dastgir 

Minister for Defence Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan while concluding the 5th Pak-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) in Moscow as Pakistan co-Chair with his Russian counterpart, Minister for Trade and Industry Denis V. Manturov  said,“Pakistan and Russia have made tremendous, substantive strides in their partnership since 2013. Defense cooperation has been the vanguard of this new chapter in Pak-Russia relationship, but will soon be matched by vast energy-sector cooperation.”

The Pakistani and Russian Ministers signed the formal protocol after a plenary session of the IGC that concluded three days of multi-faceted dialogue and negotiations between the Pakistan and Russian contingents.

Speaking to the media after the signing ceremony, the Pakistan co-Chair announced that both sides have accelerated ongoing negotiations on numerous energy sector investments by Russia into Pakistan.

Pakistan has been an observer with the SCO since 2005 and applied for its full membership in 2010. The decision, in principle, to give membership to Pakistan was taken by the SCO Heads of States meeting held in Ufa, Russia, in 2015.

The SCO was founded at a Summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan, India and Iran were admitted as observers at the 2005 Astana Summit.