FM Qureshi leaves for Moscow to attend SCO meeting

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi has left for Moscow to attend the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers scheduled for September 9 and 10.

According to a statement by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the chair of the meeting, extended the invitation to the foreign minister.

“The SCO-CFM is the highest forum of SCO after the Council of Heads of State (CHS) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG), it added.

The statement further said it deliberates on important regional and international issues and considers documents for approval and adoption by the Council of Heads of State.

The Moscow SCO-CFM will consider more than 20 documents for subsequent adoption in the SCO Council of Heads of State.

It will also adopt a Joint Communiqué reflecting member states’ unified stance on important regional and international issues, the statement read.

The foreign minister will also have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM.

FM @SMQureshiPTI is visiting #Moscow to attend SCO-CFM on 9-10 Sept on invitation of 🇷🇺FM Sergei Lavrov.

FM will also have bilateral meetings on sidelines.

🇵🇰has been actively working to achieve SCO’s multi-sectoral agenda through various mechanisms.
🔗https://t.co/UdISXUk6Fw pic.twitter.com/kwoChnH1jt

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 8, 2020

SCO’s major objectives include promoting confidence and good-neighborly relations among member states; strengthening regional peace, security, and stability; and creating a framework for effective cooperation in different fields.

Besides Pakistan, SCO’s current membership comprises China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

“SCO is an important forum for further enriching our deep-rooted historical and cultural links with member states, providing these ties a sound economic foundation, and promoting Pakistan as a regional trade and transit corridor,” the statement noted.

Since becoming a member in 2017, Pakistan has been “actively” contributing to working towards achieving SCO’s multi-sectoral agenda through participation in various SCO mechanisms.

From 2005 to 2017, Pakistan was an Observer in SCO, the FO spokesman added.