Islamabad, April 2 (Inditop.com) Pakistan desires to have a full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) so that it can actively participate in the group’s activities in the region, President Asif Ali Zardari said.
Talking to Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, Zardari said Pakistan wants to have a full membership of SCO, an inter-governmental security organisation founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Xinhua reported Thursday.
Pakistan enjoys the status of an observer along with India, Iran and Mongolia in the organisation. Uzbekistan currently holds the presidency of the SCO.
“Pakistan would appreciate Uzbekistan’s support to Pakistan in this regard,” Zardari said.
He said Pakistan, being a key player in the global war against terror, is ready to be associated with SCO’s regional counter-terrorism structure based in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital.
Zardari said Uzbekistan has an important role to play in promoting peace and security of the region. Being contiguous neighbour of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan can not only contribute toward peace and stability but also to the development of transport and energy corridor, which would facilitate promotion of economic stability and peace of the region, he said.
