SCO Summit 2024: The 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) began in Astana on Thursday. On this occasion, Belarus was officially given membership of the organisation. According to news agency Xinhua, the summit began with an official ceremony. In this, Belarus was formally included in the organisation.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, announcing that Dear Heads of State, a decision has been made on the full membership of the Republic of Belarus in the SCO.
On this announcement, Lukashenko said that his country would try to expand the influence of SCO and broaden the circle of its allies and supporters.
The SCO summit held in Astana is being attended by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Turkmenistan as well as the SCO Secretary General and Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
Good relations with India
Let us tell you that India’s relations with Belarus have always been good. There have traditionally been cordial and warm relations between the two countries. When the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, India was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus as an independent country.
S Jaishankar targeted Pakistan
India on Thursday asked the international community to “isolate” and “expose” countries that harbour terrorists, provide them safe havens and ignore terrorism. In an apparent dig at China and Pakistan, India said that if terrorism is left unchecked, it can pose a major threat to regional and global peace.
Expressing the views of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, Jaishankar said that one of the fundamental objectives of the SCO is to fight terrorism.
Jaishankar said at the conference, “Many of us have our own experiences, which often unfold beyond our borders. It should be clear that if terrorism is left unchecked, it can become a major threat to regional and global peace. Terrorism in any form or form cannot be justified or forgiven.”