SCO summit adopts Delhi Declaration, vows to prevent spread of religious intolerance, ideas of fascism (Ld)

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on Tuesday stressed upon the need to counter terror activities, while focusing on prevention of spread of religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism and ideas of fascism.

The Delhi Declaration issued after the day-long virtual SCO summit, which was hosted by India, said, “The Member States consider it important to build up joint coordinated efforts by the international community to counter the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups, paying special attention to preventing the spread of religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism, ethnic and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ideas of fascism and chauvinism.”

Reaffirming their commitment to peace, joint development and equal relations based on the principles of mutual respect, friendship and good-neighborliness, the Member States will continue conducting a constructive dialogue based on trust, deepening effective multifaceted cooperation, making every effort to strengthen security and stability and ensure sustainable development in the SCO region, the declaration said.

“Reaffirming their strong commitment to fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism, the Member States are determined to continue taking active measures to eliminate the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, to disrupt the terror financing channels, to suppress recruitment activities and cross-border movement of terrorists, to counter extremism, and radicalisation of youth, the dissemination of terrorist ideology, as well as to eliminate "sleeper cells" and places used as terrorist safe havens,” the declaration said further.

The Member States note the inadmissibility of interference in the internal affairs of states under the pretext of countering terrorism and extremism, as well as unacceptability of using terrorist, extremist and radical groups for mercenary goals.

The Member States consider it important to build up joint coordinated efforts by the international community to counter the attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups, the declaration read.

“Subject to their national laws and on the basis of consensus, the Member States will seek to develop common principles and approaches to form a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organisations whose activities are prohibited on the territories of the SCO Member States,” the document stated.

The Member States have expressed their concern about the growing threats posed by increased production, trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs and using the proceeds of illicit drug-trafficking as a source of funding for terrorism. They stressed the need for a joint and balanced approach to countering trafficking of illicit drugs and their precursors, and noted the importance of implementing the international drug control conventions and other relevant legal regulatory instruments, it added further.

“The Member States note that illicit drug trafficking and their non-medical consumption pose a threat to international and regional security and stability, sustainable economic development of states, health and well-being of people, as well as the exercise of fundamental human rights and freedoms. Emphasising the importance of consolidating forces in the fight against illicit drug-trafficking and wide cooperation in this area, they will continue implementing the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2018-2023 and Action Plan for its implementation,” the declaration stated.

The SCO also stressed on the historical significance of the admission of Iran as a full Member State.

The Member States also appreciated the outcomes of India’s presidency of the SCO in 2022-2023, which the declaration said, “contributed to the further development of multi-faceted and mutually beneficial cooperation”.

Kazakhstan was handed over the presidency of the SCO, and the next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held there in 2024.

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