Foreign Minister attends Ministerial meetings of Uniting for Consensus, SCO, CICA, NAM, and SAARC and also meets the Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly

(2017-09-22) The Foreign Minister attended a series of Ministerial multilateral meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly Session. In his statement at the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the group’s ideals, especially on the need of a comprehensive reform to be achieved through consensus. He emphasized that the UfC needs to maintain its unity and clarity of purpose and to maintain close coordination on their unified approach towards the Security Council reform process.

During the Informal Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), held in New York on 20 September 2017, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the goals and principles enshrined in the SCO Charter and Shanghai Spirit. He also underscored that Pakistan was fully committed to promoting regional peace, security and development through collective efforts.The participating Ministers stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation for addressing various security challenges, including, terrorism, extremism, separatism and cyber-crime. The participants also welcomed the grant of full membership to India and Pakistan earlier this year and expressed the confidence that enhanced membership would further contribute towards the realization of the Organization’s goals.

The Foreign Minister also participated in the Informal Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which was held in New York on 20 September 20179. The Foreign Minister expressed Pakistan’s continued support to the principles and objectives of CICA and joined other Member States in reaffirming strong commitment to promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

During the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly session, the Foreign Minister underscored Pakistan’s commitment to the ideals of the Movement, the Foreign Minister highlighted the centrality of cooperative multilateralism in addressing contemporary challenges. In his remarks, Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s continued support to the struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination. He also highlighted the contributions made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also led Pakistan’s delegation in the Informal Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), held in New York on 21 September 2017. The meeting was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of the SAARC member countries. During the event, the Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s full commitment to SAARC’s principles and objectives, as enshrined in its Charter. He also highlighted the Organization’s potential in promoting progress and prosperity in South Asia through enhanced regional integration.

The Foreign Minister also met his counterpart from Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Denis Moses. Both leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation including at the United Nations. They also decided to exert efforts to explore avenues of mutual cooperation, including trade and high-level contacts.

Islamabad
September 22, 2017.