India and Pakistan’s Entry in the SCO Could Provide a Platform to Resolve Their Differences

PRESS RELEASE

India and Pakistan’s Entry in the SCO Could Provide a Platform To Resolve Their Differences

March 16, 2017 (EIRNS)—An article in China’s Global Times, widely reported in India’s mainstream media today, noted that the entry of India and Pakistan into the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) "may help boost anti-terrorism cooperation between the two countries and provide a platform to resolve their differences." The article pointed out that

"improving Pakistan’s transportation infrastructure is a major aspect of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and hopefully the entry of Pakistan and India into the SCO will bring new momentum to the development of the CPEC. Pakistan’s entry will also likely offer convenience for attracting new partnerships into the CPEC."

China is in the process of building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and is committed to an investment close to $53 billion. The CPEC, which enters Pakistan through the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, has not been endorsed by New Delhi, which calls it a violation of its sovereignty, since India considers Jammu and Kashmir as part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan.

India and Pakistan will officially become full members of the SCO in June 2017, and the Global Times article, pointing out the potential of this development, noted:

"The entry of the two nations into the SCO may help boost cooperation between India and Pakistan in areas such as infrastructure and anti-terrorism efforts. As per the framework of the SCO, a third party could step in to prevent an outbreak of conflict between the two countries.... Though New Delhi may try to seek fairly flexible multilateral agreements with the SCO countries, both India and Pakistan will have to adhere to the principle and basic framework under the SCO to strengthen security and anti-terrorism cooperation,"

it said.