BEIJING, September 5. /TASS/. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is willing to take on the responsibility for maintaining security and ensuring development in the region, SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov told reporters on Thursday in response to a question about the member states India and Pakistan.
"India and Pakistan fully support the SCO approaches to countering terrorism and extremism as the main threat for regional security and stability," he said. Norov recalled that India and Pakistan co-authored the Bishkek summit declaration, supporting its key message which states that "member countries find it important to use the potential of the region’s states, international organizations and multilateral associations in the interest of forming a wide, open, mutually beneficial and equal Eurasian cooperation space with the aim to ensure stable security and sustainable development."
"This means that the organization is ready to take on the responsibility for security and development in the region," Norov said.
Obligations of SCO members
Before joining the SCO, India and Pakistan "went through a long and serious stage, working with the organization as observer states." "The launch of the procedure of joining the SCO supposed a step-by-step process of including these countries in the whole set of documents active within the SCO, which also describe the basic principles of long-term good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation," the secretary general stated. "In this way, India and Pakistan have undertaken the obligation to make joint efforts within the organization, that is, to find and develop mutual agreements and solutions."
"Today, India and Pakistan sit at the negotiation table together with six founder states, resolving the issues of regional importance: ensuring regional security, mutual counteraction of threats and challenges, ensuring social-economic development. An impressive package of documents and decisions signed during the historic summit in Qingdao is also a result of joint and effective work by the SCO in a new format," Norov noted. Expanded cooperation of India and Pakistan with other SCO member states is an important positive factor for further enhancement of SCO cooperation in the interest of improving the political image of India and Pakistan in Eurasia, he added.
"Do no harm"
In general, regarding conflict situations in bilateral relations, namely those related to border and territorial disputes, "the SCO follows the principle of non-interference, believing that the basic principles of the Charter signed by its member states are enough to find compromise and agreement through existing bilateral mechanisms," Norov stressed.
"However, this does not mean that other member states must remain passive and indifferent, making no diplomatic efforts at bilateral and multilateral levels, naturally, taking into account the position of each conflicting side. Here, the main principle is "do no harm," do not take a unilateral stance, facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict to your best effort," the secretary general concluded.
The organization currently includes eight countries namely, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Four states, specifically, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, have observer status. That being said, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners.