Modi, Xi To Share Platform At SCO Virtual Meet On Tue

Member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will issue a statement at the virtual summit meeting on Tuesday on countering the spread of terrorism including on the internet, sources said.

Sources said leaders of all eight member countries – Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will be present during the 20th summit of the SCO.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the Indian delegation.

The annual meeting of SCO Heads of State will be held for the first time in virtual format due to situation created by COVID-19. Russia is the current chair of SCO and President Vladimir Putin will chair the meeting which will also be attended by Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

It will be the first time that PM Modi and the Chinese President will share a platform since border stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops in May. The two countries have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks over border tensions.

Apart from the eight-member states, the heads of state of four observer states of SCO – Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia will also participate.

Sources said Secretary-General of SCO and the Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-terrorist Structure (SCO RATS) will also make their interventions.

Each member state will speak for 10 minutes. The Summit will end with the adoption of Moscow Declaration under the Chairmanship of the Russian Federation, sources said.

Apart from the Moscow Declaration, there will be SCO Statements on issues like the Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of World War II, Digital Economy, COVID-19, Countering the Spread of Terrorism Including on the Internet and Countering the Drug Threat. There will also be other decisions relating to major projects and initiatives in trade and economic sphere of activities. The report of the activities of the SCO Secretariat and the SCO RATS will also be adopted, the sources said.

They said India appreciates the efforts of the Russian side for holding extensive meetings in the virtual format and giving new momentum to the ongoing cooperation within SCO despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We wish a constructive and successful SCO Summit under the Chairmanship of Russia on 10 November 2020,” a source said.

Last week during a weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that India will host a summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO on November 30 in the virtual format in which prime ministers of the member countries will participate.

India became a member of the SCO in 2017. (ANI)