DUSHANBE, 29.07.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – Yesterday, the SCO Defense Ministers exchanged views on international and regional security, and noted the high level of mutual understanding between the SCO member states.

The meeting was attended by the defense ministers of India Rajnat Singh, Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev, China Wei Fenghe, Kyrgyzstan Taalaibek Omuraliev, Pakistan Parvez Khattak, Russia Sergei Shoigu, Uzbekistan Bakhodir Kurbanov, Tajikistan Sherali Mirzo, Belarus Viktor Khrenin, and the Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Jumakhon Giyosov.

The ministers noted that the SCO is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a significant international organization capable of effectively influencing the maintenance of peace and strengthening of security.

They agreed to continue cooperation in strengthening security and maintaining stability in the organization’s space in the context of the growing conflict in the world, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continuing high threat of terrorism.

Defense officials strongly condemned attempts to falsify the historical truth about the causes and results of World War II, as well as the rehabilitation and glorification of Nazi criminals and their accomplices.

The ministers are unanimous in their view of the importance of the training of joint actions of the SCO Armed Forces during the joint military anti-terrorist command and staff exercises Peaceful Mission — 2021 organizations and stress that the practice of conducting such exercises will continue.

They agreed to continue providing all-round assistance to all SCO member states in the accession of India and Pakistan into the SCO.

While expressing their desire to further develop cooperation between the Armed Forces, defense ministers welcomed Russia’s invitation to take part in the joint strategic exercise of the Armed Forces of Belarus and the Russia West-2021.

Defense officials discussed issues of strengthening peace, stability and security. Expressing concern over the rapid deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan, they noted the need to prevent destabilization in the SCO space.

They emphasized the significant increase in the activity of terrorist organizations in the region after the withdrawal of military contingents of NATO and other countries from Afghanistan.

In order to strengthen friendship and good-neighborliness between the SCO member states, maintain peace, security and stability in the region, the defense ministers spoke in favor of building up practical cooperation between the SCO and regional partner organizations.

They approved the Cooperation Plan of the SCO Defense Ministries for 2022–2023.

The ministers emphasized the special relevance of holding the Year of SCO Culture, the festival of military bands Fanfare of Peace in Pakistan, scheduled for October 18-23, 2021.

They agreed to further expand cooperation in order to ensure regional stability and create favorable conditions for SCO’s reliable sustainable development.

The next meeting of the SCO Defense Ministers will be held in 2022 in Uzbekistan.