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Your Excellency President
Hu Jintao, Distinguished Heads of State of Members
and Observers of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation, Distinguished representatives of
Observer countries and organisations, Mr. Executive
Secretary of SCO, Excellencies and Distinguished
invitees.
I am honoured to be here to participate in this
august gathering of world leaders. I convey the
greetings of the people of India to all of you.
I also take this opportunity to felicitate SCO on
this special and momentous occasion when the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is celebrating the
5th anniversary of its establishment and the
Shanghai process is commemorating its 10th
anniversary.
We in India have observed with keen interest the
growth in stature of the SCO during this relatively
brief period. We are confident about SCO’s future
and see it as an organization which would stand for
peace and stability in our region including
countering terrorism, as well the needs of greater
economic cooperation and cultural exchanges amongst
our countries.
Excellencies,
As an Observer, India is keen to associate itself
fully with the activities of the Organization as we
are of the view that we would mutually benefit and
enrich ourselves by such association. We share the
main SCO objectives which are to combat all forms of
intolerance, extremism and fundamentalism in our
region.
India as a victim of terrorism appreciates SCO’s
firm stand against terrorism and commits itself to
working closely with all SCO countries in countering
these threats and challenges to peace and stability.
The rapid economic progress in many of the SCO
member and observer countries in the recent past has
made the world take notice of the potential of Asia.
At the same time, we have to recognize that there
are disparities of growth and development in our
region.
We believe that an important challenge before the
SCO countries is to see how economic growth and
development can be more widely spread in the region
to bring greater prosperity for the people and usher
in peace and stability in the region.
India has a unique developmental experience that we
are happy to share with our friends. Many of SCO’s
objectives seeking greater economic exchanges could
be substantively realized with the participation of
all countries in the region. While most of us in the
SCO share a common legacy of cultural, historical
and ethnic contacts, all of us share a common
destiny in this increasingly small and globalised
world.
Thus there is great
responsibility on all of us to collectively
cooperate and help fulfill the aspirations of SCO
member countries and observers which represent
almost half the world’s population and a significant
part of its area.
Mr. Chairman,
For the last year or so, ever since our involvement
with the SCO, we have consistently expressed our
interest in working together for greater intra-SCO
trade, development of banking and financial services
including robust capital markets in our countries,
involving ourselves in the SCO Business Council and
SCO Development Fund and participation in SCO
projects. We feel that transportation networks and
transit facilities are a vital area for SCO’s
consideration as some SCO countries are landlocked.
We have to work together to see that products from
these countries reach world markets at a cost
efficient basis.
Energy security is another area where cooperation is
needed, as SCO member and observer countries are the
major producers and consumers of energy in the
world.
Last, but not the least, we are keen to promote
people-to-people contacts and a greater cultural
dialogue and interaction amongst our countries. We
are happy that later today we would all get an
opportunity to enjoy dance and musical
manifestations of SCO countries including a
classical portrayal of Indian culture. We have to
work closely to ensure such initiatives are well
appreciated by our peoples who would then realise
the benefits of SCO cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
We believe that the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization is actively considering the ways and
means of involving Observer countries in its
activities. We are confident that the final SCO
document regarding participation of Observer states
would provide them opportunities to make substantive
contributions to the development and activities of
the SCO.
Before concluding, I would like to express my
gratitude and appreciation towards the city of
Shanghai and the people and Government of People’s
Republic of China for hosting the Summit meeting and
their kind hospitality. I would also like to
reiterate that India looks forward to being a
substantive and active SCO partner.
Thank you.
New Delhi,
June 15, 2006 |
