SCO leaders in unison resolve for strong linkages sans frontiers

SOCHI Russia, Dec 01 (APP): The member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Friday were unanimous in their views for shaping the organization into the most effective forum by bringing the Eurasian countries closer under the umbrella of common goals of closely knitted road, rail, and communication networks crossing huge swathes of South Asia, Central Asia up to Europe.
The SCO leaders converged for a meeting of Council of Heads of Government at the most popular summer resort of Russian Federation in the Krasnodar region, nestled between fabled fame Caucasus mountains and the Black sea.
The freezing chill identical with the adroitly grafted orange and palm trees and snow-capped mountains in the background
gave way to the warm feelings dominating different sessions of the SCO meeting.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in his address, said they had to think about future and move ahead. For future development and prosperity, economic cooperation among the SCO states should be strengthened. The region was confronted
with economic challenges, he said and offered Russian expertise and cooperation to the member states in tackling the related issues.
He recounted the effects of global economic meltdown and stressed upon strengthening cooperation in road infrastructure, agriculture, energy and food security.
Medvedev also suggested multilateral border connections through Eurasian and One Belt One Road initiatives. The SCO
was working over such agreements.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang viewed the complicated changes in the world as result of outcome of regional hot spots.
Fighting terrorism in all forms and manifestation should be the priority of the SCO countries, he said, and suggested active study
of the threats posed by terrorism.
He said that China was ready to advance security of the region with other countries through intense cooperation, besides stressing upon synergizing of efforts to translate ideas into concrete measures. The SCO’s identity and objectives should flourish,
he opined
He particularly referred to ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) project mentioning Pakistan and South Asia as massive economic markets for the SCO due to its huge population and potentials.
Li said that China was ready to open its markets to the world to increase competitiveness.
Indian External Affairs Minister Shushma Swaraj said global challenges in the sphere of economy still persisted. The SCO member countries were connected through long history of commonalities but the regional connectivity was vital.
The Kazakhstan prime minister said landlocked countries of the Central Asia required to streamline their efforts for close cooperation through road networks and referred to Chinese initiative of one road one belt project.
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov said his conviction was that the SCO’s role would be enhanced with the inclusion
of Pakistan and India.
He offered a proposal for establishment of digital silk road and construction of roads network passing through all member
states of the SCO. Kyrgyzstan was interested in materializing the OBOR project.
The Council adopted a number of decisions related to budget, financial and administrative matters of the SCO. The joint communique issued by the Council focused on the economic, trade, energy, connectivity and social sector cooperation.