Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Mr. Dimitry Mezentsev’scall on the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security & Foreign Affairs Mr. Sartaj Aziz on 28 February 2014

Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Mr. Dimitry Mezentsev, called on the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Mr. Sartaj Aziz on 28 February 2014 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Adviser warmly welcomed the Secretary General SCO for his first ever visit to Pakistan. He said that Pakistan endorsed SCO’s aims and objectives and fully subscribed to the principles enshrined in its charter. He appreciated the progress made by the SCO since its formation in 2001. The Adviser particularly appreciated its outreach to observers as well as the expansion in its mandate to include economic cooperation.

The Adviser mentioned that Pakistan is privileged to have been associated with the SCO as an Observer since 2005. He underlined that Pakistan had been regularly participating in the meetings of the SCO at the highest level. He added that Pakistan was presently confronting terrorism and extremism and the member states of the SCO are also victim of this menace in varying degrees. The Adviser mentioned that Pakistan attached high importance to SCO and would like to become its full member in its quest for peace, security, and progress within the region and within its own borders.

The SCO Secretary General stated that strengthening mutual confidence and good neighborly relations among the member countries and to make joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region are main objectives of the SCO. In this perspective his visit to Pakistan which is an important country of the region was quite significant. He mentioned that there were several mechanisms which were in place for interaction between the permanent members of the SCO and the observers (6+5). He appreciated Pakistan’s active participation in SCO’s different fora as observer state.

Islamabad
February 28, 2014

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