Moscow, Jun 15 : Ahead of his participation in the summit of the heads of state and government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said today Islamabad counts on its full membership of the regional group.
Mr Zardari will attend the SCO summit opening in Yekaterinburg as an observer, along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a special envoy of Mongolian President as observer-members.
The SCO is a sub-regional structure that includes Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members.
”Pakistan attaches considerable importance to membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which we regard as a platform facilitating trust, regional security, and assistance to economic cooperation,” Mr Zardari said in an interview to leading Russian business daily Kommersant published today.
”We would like complete participation in its programmes and events, we would like to be able to contribute to realisation of its objectives and tasks,” Mr Zardari stressed.
On bilateral cooperation with Russia, he said the Pakistan government was sincerely and completely willing to turn a new page in the mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia.
”There are colossal opportunities for development of our contacts in the spheres of economy and trade, and particularly in communications, energy, infrastructure, and technologies,” he said.
On the North Korean situation, Mr Zardari said, ”Pakistan supports the efforts to restore peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and to keep it nuclear-free. We stand for a peaceful settlement of the crisis underway through revival of the six-sided talks.” ”Pakistan supports global non-proliferation. All states should respect the global non-proliferation regime,” he noted.
Asked what Pakistan’s view about the use of force as a solution to the so-called Iranian nuclear problem was, Mr Zardari said Islamabad remained a supporter of peaceful ways and means because the use of force might destabilise the already volatile region.
”We stand for peaceful settlement on the basis of recognition of the Iranian rights and duties from the standpoint of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).” Mr Zardari said nothing about a possible meeting with Dr Singh in the interview and it was unclear whether they would hold a bilateral discussion or simply take part in the wider meeting.
Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s special aide Sergei Prikhodko said in Moscow today an SCO plenary session tomorrow would be attended by the Presidents of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, Dr Singh, a special envoy of the Mongolian President, and representatives from a number of international organisations, including the United Nations and three post-Soviet alliances – the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, and the Eurasian Economic Community.
Mr Prikhodko said on Afghanistan, the SCO leaders would focus on the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and organised crime.
However, he added that the SCO had no plans to become involved in International Security Assistance Force.
He said SCO leaders would also discuss North Korea, but there were no plans to adopt a separate statement on the issue.
–Agencies