External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says terrorism must be stopped in all its forms, manifestations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that there can be no justification for terrorism and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa today, he said the menace of terrorism continues and combating terrorism is one of the original mandates of the SCO.
 
Describing terrorism as a major threat faced by the region, Dr Jaishankar said, anti-terror measures are need of the hour. He said, taking our eyes off this menace will be detrimental to our security interests and the channels of finances for terrorist activities must be seized and blocked. Dr Jaishankar also sought the support of member states for the long-standing demand of India to make English the 3rd official language of SCO to enable a deeper engagement with English-speaking member states.
 
He said that as SCO chair, India has initiated an unprecedented engagement with SCO observers and dialogue partners by inviting them to participate in more than 14 social-cultural events. Foreign ministers of the SCO member countries are likely to finalise today a set of 15 decisions or proposals for the consideration of the grouping’s summit in July. The proposals are aimed at expanding cooperation among the SCO member countries in the areas of trade, technology, commerce, security and socio-cultural ties.
 
The two-day meeting of foreign ministers of SCO got underway in Goa yesterday. Foreign Ministers of eight nations are attending the key meeting. India took over the chairmanship of the SCO grouping in September last year. On the sidelines of the SCO meet, Dr Jaishankar held bilateral talks with his Chinese, Russian and Uzbekistan counterparts. Dr Jaishankar also held bilateral meeting with SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming and appreciated his support for India’s SCO Presidency. The SCO has Russia, India, China, Pakistan, and four central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as its members.