Terror remains major threat to development: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday stood in the same photo-frame for a group photograph at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting at Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in what was described by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) as an “SCO family photo”. Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi, however, were almost at the opposite ends in the group photo which comes just days after an extremely frosty Saarc ministers meet in New York. Ties between New Delhi and Islamabad continue to be extremely strained.

At the SCO meeting, Ms Swaraj raised the issue of terrorism as the “most overwhelming threat to our common goals of development and prosperity”, adding that “governments must assume their national responsibility and cooperate with each other”.

The comments are being seen as a veiled reference to Pakistan’s role in supporting terrorism from its soil directed at its neighbours India and Afghanistan. Ms Swaraj also reiterated India’s “support (to) an open, stable international trade regime based on centrality of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)”.

The SCO is an eight-member Central Asian Grouping that comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. India and Pakistan became SCO members just last year.

“SCO family photograph — as they say picture speaks a thousand words! EAM @Sushma Swaraj with other leaders at #SCO Heads of Government Council Meeting in Dushanbe. Geographic area of SCO has been an inspiration for physical, scientific, spiritual & cultural progress for the world,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In her statement at the SCO meeting, Ms Swaraj said, “Terrorism remains the most overwhelming threat to our common goals of development and prosperity. As the footprint of terrorism expan-ds, governments must assume their national responsibility and cooperate with each other. India has actively supported the SCO Qingdao Summit Leaders’ “Appeal to Youth” against radicalisation of youth.”

She added, “We have all benefited from globalisation. We must further develop our trade and investment cooperation. We support an open, stable international trade regime based on centrality of the World Trade Organisation.”