SCO leaders stress peaceful Afghanistan in summit declaration
Leaders from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries issued a joint statement reaffirming the importance of a peaceful Afghanistan for regional stability during their summit in Astana.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the SCO summit, emphasized the role of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group in promoting stability in Afghanistan. Putin stated, "We support the resumption of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group's activities, believing it will contribute to normalizing the situation in the country."
Meanwhile, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon also stressed the need for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The Islamic Emirate has not responded directly to the SCO summit discussions. However, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, previously expressed openness to increased interaction with regional countries. Mujahid stated, "We welcome the formation of a contact group with Afghanistan to enhance relations, provided it respects our sovereignty."
At the summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed concerns over terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Guterres urged global unity to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorism, offering UN cooperation with the SCO in anti-terrorism efforts.
In a notable development, Belarus was granted membership as the tenth country in the SCO.
The summit was attended by leaders from Russia, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Türkiye, and several other nations. Notably, Afghanistan, previously an observer, did not participate in this summit. (ILKHA)
LEGAL WARNING: All rights of the published news, photos and videos are reserved by İlke Haber Ajansı Basın Yayın San. Trade A.Ş. Under no circumstances can all or part of the news, photos and videos be used without a written contract or subscription.
Argentine President Javier Milei’s libertarian party scored a resounding victory in midterm elections, preliminary results showed, consolidating his political power and strengthening his hand to advance a radical, U.S.-backed free-market overhaul.
The ongoing government shutdown in the United States — now the second longest in the country’s history — has taken a grim turn as the Trump administration announced the suspension of federal food assistance programs, leaving millions of low-income families at risk.
Montenegro will temporarily suspend its visa-free regime for Turkish citizens following a violent incident in Podgorica that has sparked public unrest, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced on Sunday evening.
Israeli occupation forces once again violated the fragile ceasefire on Monday, launching a deadly drone strike that killed two Palestinian civilians and injured several others in the town of Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.