Delhi Hosts SCO-RATS Meeting on Regional Security
NEW DELHI, India – New Delhi hosts counter-terrorism experts from India, Pakistan and other member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Monday, tackling to boost cooperation in combating various regional security challenges, according to reports.
Focused on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, the gathering is taking place under the framework of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), as the ongoing political crisis has deteriorated the status quo of the country.
The meeting will last for three days, where a number of political analysts confirm the program of the meeting, saying “the agenda of the talks is also countering terrorism.”
“The (participation) of Central Asian Nations and particularly the participation of the Pakistani delegation is a green light for countering terrorism,” said Naseer Ahmad Shirzai, a political analyst, as TOLOnew quoted.
India assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of SCO (RATS SCO) on October 28 for a period of one year, as a local media wrote.
“India has shown keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defense.”
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Meanwhile, Afghan Ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay welcomed the initiative on regional security, saying Afghanistan overall situation – including the general security and humanitarian sectors – has worsen since the fall last August.
“I thank India for hosting the key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) anti-terror body Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in New Delhi today,” he wrote in a threat. “The security & humanitarian situation has worsened in Afghanistan over the past 9 months.”
Mamundzay hopes the gathering will propose solutions to security issues, calling a “sincere” regional cooperation the only way to peace and stability in Afghanistan, as well as the region.
“We expect this Meeting to raise & propose solutions to all important issues related to the security situation in (Afghanistan),” he further wrote.
“Sincere regional security cooperation particularly from neighboring countries is the only way forward for peace & development in Afghanistan and in the region.”
The participating countries vowed to work towards ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism and called for the formation of an “open and truly inclusive” government in Kabul with representation from all sections of Afghan society, as local media wrote.
Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the member states of the SCO, where Afghanistan stands among its observer states.
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While pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Afghanistan, India has not recognized the so-called Islamic Emirate as the formal ruler of the country.
As of this report, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan have accredited the Islamic Emirate’s appointed diplomat in recent months, though all had initially refused to recognize the 8-month-old government in Afghanistan.
International community lays off at least four conditions before recognizing the Taliban government: forming an inclusive government, respect for the rights of women and girls and other minorities, as well as that Afghanistan not becoming a haven for insurgent groups.
Taliban takeover last August lead the United States and other Western countries to shutting down their diplomatic posts in Kabul. They, however, have maintained contact with the group to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aids into the country.
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