Austin wrote:
Modi and Nawaz at two extereme ends !
Modi looks humble, putin looks macho, not sure what to make of Ganja Sharif
Austin wrote:
Modi and Nawaz at two extereme ends !
Austin wrote:
Modi and Nawaz at two extereme ends !
The summit is going to be attended by leaders from Pakistan and China.
With Lashkar-e-TOiba chief Hafiz Saeed released from custody in Pakistan and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar roaming around freely there, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to call for concerted regional and global efforts to combat terrorism, as she attends the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The summit is going to be attended by leaders from Pakistan and China.
Sources said Delhi is going to raise the issue of “counter-terrorism” at the international platform, even as Beijing continues to block listing of Azhar at the UN Security Council as a “global terrorist”.
Swaraj on Wednesday left for Sochi in Russia to attend the SCO meeting, which will be held on November 30 and December 1. In June, India and Pakistan had become full-fledged members of the SCO.
It is also likely to discuss issues relating to the regional security scenario, including the Gulf and Afghanistan.
The Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Wednesday, “EAM @SushmaSwaraj leaves for Sochi, Russia to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Meeting — home to 42 % of world’s population and 20% of its GDP. India became a full member of SCO on June 9, 2017.”
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017- ... 790161.htmBEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Five months after the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the upcoming prime ministers' meeting in Russia is expected to further consolidate pragmatic cooperation among member states and promote stability and integration in the region.
The 16th prime ministers' meeting, to be held on Thursday and Friday in the Russian coastal city of Sochi, will be the first major gathering of the SCO heads of government since the bloc was expanded for the first time to add India and Pakistan as its full members in June's Astana summit in Kazakhstan.
Representatives from the eight member states, which also groups China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan besides the new members of India and Pakistan, are expected to focus in the meeting on multilateral trade, all-round cooperation and regional growth in a bid to reach new consensuses in such fields as inter-connectivity, investment and cultural exchange.
As the bloc has developed into a new era amid profound changes in the region and the whole world, a productive and fruitful meeting will deepen mutual trust and strengthen ties among members, so as to enhance stability and prosperity in the Eurasian continent.
With the inclusion of India and Pakistan, both major regional players, the SCO is expected to play a more significant and irreplaceable role as a strong bond in promoting integration between Asia-Pacific, European and the Middle East regions.
The eight-member bloc, which covers nearly half of the world's population and three-fifths of the Eurasian continent, is the world's largest regional cooperation organization in terms of area and population with tremendous potential for development.
Since its founding in 2001, the SCO has made remarkable achievements in security-toughening and anti-terrorism cooperation.
With joint efforts from all member countries, the enlarged organization will boost the region's endeavors in countering cross-border terrorism and strongly protect the security and development interests of both the region and the rest of the world.
Besides, what should be realized is that the SCO has never been simply a security group since its founding. During these years, the organization has also been devoting itself to the region's comprehensive development by facilitating trade and investment, enhancing industrial cooperation and promoting people-to-people exchange.
Given the growing influence of the developing world, closer and deeper cooperation in all fields will inject vigor and vitality into the organization's future development.
It is widely expected that the SCO would play a more important role on world stage and take greater responsibility for peace and development in the region.
HIGHLIGHTS
Sushma raised the issue of global terrorism and protectionism at SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting also attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif
The criminal terrorist militias are not impeded by borders as they seek to destroy the architecture of international stability, she said.
Beijing [China], April 24 (ANI): Highlighting the commencement of the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar, New Delhi and Mumbai, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said the connectivity with Shanghai Cooperation countries is India's priority.
Addressing the on-going Shanghai Cooperation ministerial meeting, Swaraj said, "We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies."
She further highlighted India's contribution in the development of International trade corridors including the International North-South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port Development, Ashgabat Agreement, India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project, and Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Initiative.
Reiterating India's priority as inclusivity, transparency and sustainability, the External Affairs Minister said that such "Initiatives would further strengthen the entire spectrum of multi-modal networks in the SCO space."
Sushma Swaraj further said that economic globalisation should be more open, inclusive, equitable and balanced for mutual benefits while rejecting the idea of protectionism in international trade and handle the formation of trade barriers.
She called upon to diversify cooperation in the fields of innovation and digital economy, science and technology, energy, agriculture, and food security. (ANI)
The UN Security Council is “increasingly unable” or “sometimes unwilling” to respond to the current security challenges with tragic consequences, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today as she pushed for the reform of the world body’s powerful organ.
Swaraj, during her address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting here, raised the issue of global terrorism and protectionism. India along with Brazil, Germany and Japan has been seeking expansion of the permanent and non-permanent seats of the UNSC to make the powerful UN body more representative and reflective of the changing global order. Also Read: Terrorism an enemy of basic human rights: Swaraj at SCO Foreign Ministers’ meet in China
Continuing to push for the reform and expansion of the UNSC, she said: “it is clear to many of us that the Security Council is increasingly unable, or sometimes unwilling, to respond to the security challenges of our times, with tragic consequences. “We must not lose sight of the fact that reforms of the UN will be incomplete, without reforms in the Security Council to make it more representative of contemporary realities”.
“Since 2008, the international community has carefully nurtured the ongoing Inter Governmental Negotiations at the UN to take our discussions on UNSC reforms forward,” she said. An overwhelming majority of members have expressed their desire to see these negotiations continue on the basis of a text, Swaraj said.
China, which is part of the veto-wielding permanent five members along with the US, Russia, France and the UK, has not openly supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in the reformed UNSC, and instead called for a “package solution” accommodating “concerns and interests” of all parties.
The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers Wang Yi of China, Khawaja Muhammad Asif of Pakistan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov of Kazakhstan, Abdyldaev Erlan Bekeshovich of Kyrgyzstan, Sergey Lavrov of Russia, Sirodjidin Muhridinovich Aslov of Tajikistan, Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov of Uzbekistan, and Secretary General of the SCO Rashid Alimov among others.
X Posted.Austin wrote:Connectivity with SCO member countries is India's priority: Swaraj
https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/ ... 231500003/
From our Ministry Of External Affairs Website:Excellencies,
Connectivity with SCO countries is India’s priority. We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies.
For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative.India has cooperated extensively with international community for enhanced connectivity.
This is evident from our involvement with the
(i) International North-South Transport Corridor,
(ii) the Chabahar Port Development,
(iii) the Ashgabat Agreement,
(iv) India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project,
(v) Bangladesh-Butan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Initiative amongst others.
India has operationalized the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar, New Delhi and Mumbai last year.
All these initiatives would further strengthen the entire spectrum of multi-modal networks in the SCO space.
Likewise the SCO Russian Language website (Click Here) does have an April 24, 2018 entry (Chinese April 24 Click Here) translated excerpt of which follows:2018/04/24
Information message on the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ……………………..
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, confirming the support of China's One-Way, One-Way Initiative, spoke in favor of using the potential of the countries of the region, international organizations and multilateral associations in order to form a broad, open, mutually beneficial and equal partnership.
2018 / 04 / 24
Press Communique of the Foreign Ministers' Council Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States
The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reiterated their support for the "Belt and Road Initiative" proposed by China. All parties support the use of the potential of the countries, international organizations and multilateral institutions in the region to establish a broad, open, mutually beneficial and equal partnership in the SCO region.
Q1. What kind of role do you expect India will play in the framework of the SCO? What do you expect India will speak for the first time at the Qingdao summit?
A: As you know, India is a new member of the SCO. We are very happy to be a member of the SCO and we are delighted with this development. Since becoming a member, India has participated in almost all the activities and meetings of the SCO. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the SCO Summit at Qingdao. He will also have several bilateral meetings with other leaders of the SCO member countries. India will participate enthusiastically in all SCO meetings.
Q2. Since the SCO accepted India and Pakistan as its new members in June 2017, the organization has represented over 40 per cent of humanity and nearly 20 per cent of the global GDP. What do you think is the focus of the SCO members in cooperation within the organization in the future?
A: The focus of SCO members is in the areas of security cooperation, countering terrorism, economic development as well as cultural exchange. We will continue to expand our cooperation in these areas. India will work with the other member countries in this direction.
Q3. Do you think the SCO faces some opportunities or challenges in the backdrop of the current international situation, particularly considering the rising protectionism?
A: You are correct, the international situation is changing very rapidly. There are almost daily developments around the globe. In such an environment, the SCO has many opportunities to reiterate the values that it stands for, including multi-polarity, the positive effects of globalization, adhering to global rules, working together to uphold existing institutions and contributing positively towards inter-cultural harmony. India believes that the SCO can work
Q4. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an informal meeting in Wuhan in April. How do you appraise this meeting?
A: President Xi and Prime Minister Modi had excellent discussions at their informal summit in Wuhan on 27-28 April 2018. They discussed strategic and over-arching issues pertaining to the international situation as well as regional and bilateral developments. Through this strategic communication, they have been able to reach consensus on many issues including the important role played by India and China on the global stage and the manner in which bilateral relations can be developed in the coming months and years.
I would also like to point out that Prime Minister Modi and President Vladimir Putin had a similar informal summit at Sochi on 21 May, where they discussed how India and Russia view global developments and the position they take on these issues. As all three countries are members of the SCO, we believe that the organization can play an important role in global affairs.
Q5. Bilateral trade volume arrived at US$84.4 billion last year and China remains the largest trade partner of India. Are there any potential fields you think China and India can work together to expand win-win economic cooperation?
A: You are right that India-China bilateral trade reached a new peak of US$ 84.4 billion in calendar year 2017. The potential for increasing trade volume between our two countries is huge and we have not yet reached the full potential of our commercial ties.
In 2017, Xiaomi, a well-known Chinese firm, became the largest supplier of mobile handsets in the Indian market. Other Chinese companies such as Huawei, VIVO and OPPO are also doing extremely well. There is also great potential for expanding the exports of Indian IT and pharmaceuticals to China. There are some non-tariff barriers in China which need to be removed for this to happen. We need to move towards more balanced trade between our two countries since only then will our commercial interaction be sustainable.
Q6. People-to-people and cultural exchanges are important to bilateral relations. Indian films such as Dangal, HIndi Medium and Baahubali have become very popular in China and won very good ticket sales in Chinese movie market. So how do you suggest China and India should step up bilateral exchanges to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples?
A: We are very happy to see that Indian Bollywood films have become very popular in China. You are correct that Dangal (called Shuai Jiao Ba, Baba in Chinese) became one of the most popular and highest earning non-Chinese language films in China. Movies will help in increasing understanding between our people and thereby build more mutual trust.
Tourism between India and China is far below its potential and both countries need to focus on how to expand the number of tourists visiting the other country. Such an increased flow of tourists will also lead to building more trust amongst our two countries and our people.
Q7. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up policy. How do you appraise this policy? How do you think China’s reform and opening-up policy influence India?
A: China's reform and opening-up policy, which was launched in 1978, has been extremely successful in catapulting China into becoming the second largest economy in the world. The standard of living of the Chinese people has risen significantly.
The people of India look at these achievements of China with great admiration. It fills us with hope and expectation that India too can achieve some of the success that China has experienced over these past forty years. It encourages us, in India, to do more to ensure higher growth and better living standards for our people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, minutes after he landed in China’s Qingdao to attend the two-day 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Saturday. The two leaders discussed and took stock of the progress in the implementation of decisions they had taken during the informal summit in Wuhan last month. They also signed two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) related to sharing of hydrological information on Brahmaputra and export of non-Basmati rice to China.
Why not??Austin wrote:SCO could be a 'great vehicle' to improve India-Pakistan ties: China
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 544924.cms
Pax anything depends on building lots of infrastructure and controlling the levels of trade. It means having a printing press to fund all of that.habal wrote:India should embark on pax-indica by teaching the malis an unforgettable lesson. It could be a naval blockade or regime change, slow or fast but the result has to be visible.
Ummhhh!!! Not sure I understand. Uncles has been thumping chest for being A big oil producer/exporter. Why not start start cranking up the volume to bring down the prices? And, I would imagine India can go to Iran to get cheaper oil. Why bend over backwards to lobby? And how is India using US in SCO?RoyG wrote:India and China will soon be working together to lobby OPEC to drop the price of oil and bring in US crude. This is huge.
India is using the US to boost its position within SCO.
What did China offer the US?nandakumar wrote:Globally, the oil market is tightly balanced with demand continuing to rise while supplies are not keeping pace. US oil and gas production is constrained by pipeline capacity restrictions. There are limits to how far we can play the US oil card. As far playing the US card in a larger geopolitical context, we are not as well placed as the US was when it played the China card against the Soviet Union. The US could promise billions in investments and a market for Chinese exports paid for in US dollars. Other than providing boots on the ground in the event of a global conflagration we have not much to offer to the US.
A second front on the USSR. This was what led to Nixon in China and the ascent of the Lizard to its current position at number 2. It worked perfectly from the Cold War standpoint. Building a military capable of taking on both NATO and China (and Japan and South Korea) drove the USSR to collapse.Neshant wrote:What did China offer the US?nandakumar wrote:Globally, the oil market is tightly balanced with demand continuing to rise while supplies are not keeping pace. US oil and gas production is constrained by pipeline capacity restrictions. There are limits to how far we can play the US oil card. As far playing the US card in a larger geopolitical context, we are not as well placed as the US was when it played the China card against the Soviet Union. The US could promise billions in investments and a market for Chinese exports paid for in US dollars. Other than providing boots on the ground in the event of a global conflagration we have not much to offer to the US.