Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Thursday (today) to attend the 19th meeting of the Council of heads of state (CHS) of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) scheduled for June 13-14 2019, Foreign Office said.
Besides Pakistan, SCO's membership comprises China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. SCO Observers include Afghanistan, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia. The CHS is the highest forum of SCO which considers and defines strategy, prospects and priorities of the Organization.
The invitation to the prime minister was extended by Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who would chair the meeting. The leaders of SCO member and observer states as well as representatives of important international organizations will attend the meeting.
According to spokesperson Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal, Prime Minister Khan will address two sessions of the meeting. A number of decisions will be approved by the leaders, besides signing of agreements to intensify cooperation in diverse fields, he said, adding that the Prime Minister will have bilateral interaction with other participating leaders on the sidelines.
Dr Faisal did not name any of the leaders with whom Prime Minister Khan will be meeting on the sidelines, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be attending the summit. However, there has been no official confirmation of any formal meeting between the two premiers. They said that the prime minister's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is already scheduled on the sidelines of the summit in which the two leaders will exchange views on further enhancing cooperation in various areas, besides his meeting with Kyrgyz and Chinese leaderships. The SCO is among the major transregional organizations. Pakistan shares deep rooted historical and cultural links with SCO Member States. SCO's multisectoral cooperation agenda is in line with the Government of Pakistan's policy of promoting regional peace and stability and seeking enhanced linkages in infrastructure, economic, trade and cultural spheres.
"Pakistan offers critical overland route for trade and energy and supports SCO's efforts for regional integration through linking CPEC with the 6 land routes of SCO", Dr Faisal stated.
Since becoming an SCO member in 2017, he said that Pakistan has been actively participating at all levels in various SCO mechanisms including foreign affairs, defence, national security, economy and trade, education and healthcare, science and technology and innovation, youth and women empowerment, justice, agriculture, culture & sports, tourism and media.
He pointed out that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had earlier attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in Bishkek on 21-22 May 2019. The CFM considered and finalised the documents and decisions to be signed by the SCO leaders during the CHS meeting.
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