Pakistan pledges commitment to SCO, hopes for full membership

Zardari hopes Pakistan's application for full membership of the SCO will be processed expeditiously.

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said Pakistan will work together with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to achieve shared prosperity, peace and defeat terrorism.

Addressing the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, he said Pakistan has made great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and militancy, which pose common threats to the region.

"We are committed to combating terrorism, extremism and separatism. Drug trafficking and production not only harms our people but also fuels militancy and terrorism which are serious threats to the security and well-being of our societies."

"We look forward to enhance cooperation with SCO to eliminate this menace from the region," he added.

Zardari said he hoped Pakistan's application for full membership of the SCO will be processed expeditiously.

The SCO, set up in 2001, has six full members - China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan."

Pakistan, India, Iran have observer status. Sri Lanka and Belarus are dialogue partners.

Zardari said Pakistan intends to fully associate with all SCO programs for peace and development, and wishes to take part in its initiatives to promote regional and  trans-regional trade.

"We wish to cooperate in finance, banking sectors, joint ventures in energy, infrastructure, education, science, technology development programs."

He praised SCO for its significant contributions to peace and development of the region in the last decade.

"We want to associate fully with SCO ideals and values,  and share its vision for the future."

"We belong to SCO region. Apart from our geographical location, geo-economic realities also encourage Pakistan to join SCO as a full member. Our destinies are inter-linked," he said.

Zardari told SCO Heads of state that Afghan President Hamid Karzai paid an important visit to Islamabad last week and had excellent talks during his stay.

"We agreed to cooperate in fighting terror, promote regional connectivity, economic and trade cooperation" he said.