China’s position paper in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on the issues of Russia- Ukraine conflict and Afghanistan are termed a way forward to successful consultation process and durable solutions.
According to the experts and analysts in Pakistan the consensus among members will also give a message to the world community that the Global South has the will and wisdom to solve their problems peacefully.
Foreign Ministers of member states of SCO are meeting in Gao, India today. The meeting is happening at a critical moment of history. It is not run of the mill statement but truly depicts global dynamics.
According to the political economist and expert Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, there are many important issues but at this point three issues stand out among all. First, the Russia-Ukraine crisis which is escalating with every passing day. It has shaken the world economy and poor countries are suffering immensely.
Second, the de-dollarization drive has intensified economic war among major powers. Weaponization of the dollar and western financial system is catalyzing the momentum. Majority of world economies are fed up with merciless use of dollars to panelized countries, which do not bow down in front of Western powers.
Third, the Afghanistan situation is complicated. Food insecurity is out of control. The World Food Program has indicated that 19.9 million Afghan people are facing challenges to secure healthy food. It is feared that the situation will further be aggravated, as millions of people do not have secure jobs. Failure to tackle these issues can give an impetus to terrorists.
Ramay believes that in this backdrop, the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) is extremely important. Although all issues are important, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Afghanistan have direct relevance for all member states.
“Thus, the decision of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto to attend the CFM meeting was the right and rational one as peace in Afghanistan is immensely important for Pakistan and has direct relevance. It is expected that CFM will be deliberating on these issues, such as the Afghanistan and Russian conflict, among others.”
He said that in this context, China’s Position Paper on Afghanistan and Plan on Russia-Ukraine conflict can help member states to start a meaningful consultation process and find durable solutions.
“Analysis of both proposals highlight that both proposals are excellent documents, which carry the required actions to solve these problems. Both proposals had been drafted by keeping in mind international laws and human rights. The major characteristics of both proposals can be summarized in five key points,” he said.
First, both proposals highlight the importance of non-interference in internal matters of Afghanistan, Russia and Ukraine. It urges all parties to respect sovereignty and independent choices of respective countries according to international norms. It is pertinent to mention here that non-interference is the bedrock of Chinese philosophy of internal relation.
Second, proposals do not waste time on blame games, rather proposals focused on finding the solutions. Third, proposals kept humans at the center of all proposed actions. Fourth, both proposals emphasize the simultaneous deployment of dialogue and development actions, which is a cornerstone of Chinese philosophy of peace building. Fifth, it reiterates the importance of coordination to tackle issues including development.
“Hence, the Council of Foreign Ministers can build on these proposals to find a sustainable solution for all. It will be a win-win proposition. It will also consolidate SCO as a major global player, which can solve complicated issues through cooperation by adhering to principles of dialogue and development,” he concluded.
