Sri Lanka gains partnership in SCO
Members welcome end to terror in country:
Sri Lanka has been granted the status of Dialogue Partner of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced this at the
conclusion of the SCO Summit at Yekaterinburg, Russia.
The granting of the status of Dialogue Partner of this important
international grouping concerned with security, followed Sri Lanka’s
successful defeat of the thirty year war of terror waged by the LTTE,
last month.
In their joint statement the SCO members, Russia, China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have welcomed the end of ‘internal
armed conflict’ in Sri Lanka.
They expressed hope that on the foundation of the sovereignty of the
state, territorial integrity and guaranteed rights of all the ethnic and
religious groups a lasting peace, security and stability would be
restored in the country.
The SCO is primarily centered on its member nations’ security-related
concerns, especially the threats of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
International observers see evidence growing that its activities in the
area of social development of its member states is increasing fast.
A spokesman for the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo welcomed the
granting of Dialogue Partner Status in the SCO to Sri Lanka, stating
this would enable Sri Lanka to share her own experience in combating
terrorism with the members of SCO, and help in the coordinated action
against terror in the region, as well as benefit from the closer
cooperation with important friendly countries such as Russia and China.
The other country granted Dialogue Partner status together with Sri
Lanka, following the SCO Summit is Belarus. |