Pakistan, China teams here for SCO talks

New Delhi, October 17

In what appears to be a new normal, Pakistani officials as well as their Chinese counterparts have been frequently visiting the country as part of deliberations among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Editorial: Belligerent as ever

Pakistani and Chinese officials were here last week as part of the SCO’s counter-terrorism deliberations and are here again deliberating at a two-day meet of the SCO’s national coordinators that began here on Monday. This is a far cry from the Pakistani and Chinese staying away from a regional NSAs’ meet on Afghanistan in November last year.

The presence of the entire eight-country SCO constituents for the line meetings being held in India bodes well for the summit that it will host in June next year. The sheen of Samarkand will endure with the presence of the Chinese President and Pakistan PM along with all other SCO leaders in Delhi as well.

This is essential for the SCO summit in India because it will have a much bigger regional representation. Iran, which will be represented by its President, will join as a full member. Observers Belarus, Afghanistan and Mongolia will seek full membership. Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will get ‘dialogue partner’ status. Bahrain and Maldives too will submit papers for dialogue partner status. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal will get ‘observer’ status.

The involvement of Pakistan in the framework of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is also expected to contribute to a more peaceful regional environment since it will take over the chairmanship from India.

Last Friday, two Pakistani representatives were present when under Indian chairmanship, the 38th meeting of Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO approved joint measures to counter challenges and threats posed by international terrorist organisations, according to Deputy NSA Dattatray Padsalgikar.

Apart from attending the SCO summit in June, the Chinese President is then expected to return to India for the G-20 summit that will be held at the end of next year. It is a moot point, say sources, whether India’s concerns have been adequately met for Pakistan to be invited as a guest country for the G-20 summit.

India and Pakistan had become full members of the SCO in 2017.

‘New normal’ in ties

• The presence of officials from entire eight-country SCO bodes well for the summit in India in June next year
• Chinese President and Pakistan PM along with all other SCO leaders are likely to attend the meeting