WATCH: Bilawal Bhutto tells WION whether or not Pakistan will attend SCO summit in India
Bilawal Bhutto speaks to WION. Photograph:( WION )
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World leaders, top diplomats and prominent dignitaries have gathered at the Munich Security Conference, which is a major annual global gathering focused on defence and diplomacy
World leaders, top diplomats and prominent dignitaries have gathered at the Munich Security Conference, which is a major annual global gathering focused on defence and diplomacy
Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari weighed in on the prospects of attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in India this year. India took over the presidency in 2022 for a year and sent invitations to all members, including Pakistan and China for the summit.
While speaking to WION on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Bhutto said that Pakistan has "received the invitation". He added that the SCO is very important and the "rules are very clear we don't take up bilateral issues and disputes at this forum".
Speaking about Pakistan's attendance, which is not clear yet because of the strained India-Pakistan ties, he said, "Our discussions to attend, at what level to attend, are still undergoing."
#WIONConversation | Speaking to WION's @AnasMallick at the sidelines of the #MunichSecurityConference Pakistan Foreign Minister @BBhuttoZardari talked of the conference, the war in Ukraine and his nation's participation in the upcoming SCO meet in India. pic.twitter.com/etbgB8JLG5
— WION (@WIONews) February 18, 2023
World leaders, top diplomats and prominent dignitaries have gathered at the Munich Security Conference, which is a major annual global gathering focused on defence and diplomacy.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war dominated the security conference, which is aimed at debating issues of global concern.
#Pakistan’s Foreign Minister @BBhuttoZardari has arrived in Munich to participate in the Munich Security Conference. Upon arrival, he was received by Senior officials from German Foreign Ministry, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany @DrMFaisal and others. #MSC2023 pic.twitter.com/NJHbGxwv6Q
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) February 16, 2023
#Pakistan’s Foreign Minister @BBhuttoZardari arrives at the Munich Security Conference. #MSC2023 pic.twitter.com/FyInBHu5v2
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) February 17, 2023
On being asked about the Munich conference, Bhutto said, "It is very important for the entire world, and we are engaging with everyone and having bilateral meetings, tomorrow we have some more meetings and seminars on Afghanistan."
"Our meetings with Ukraine FM would be a continuation of the policy of neutrality and message to everyone is the same that Pakistan believes and an extended conflict is not in the interest of the developing world," he said.
Further added, "We would like dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of peace, that is a message to Russians and Ukraine and to the world."
Bhutto on Ukraine situation
WION asked Bhutto to comment on his last year's remarks, when he called the Ukraine situation a "war", he said that "this is the nitpicking". He said, "You can call it a conflict, you can call it a war, but people are dying on both sides."
"We in Pakistan witnessed faced the longest war which NATO was also a part of in Afghanistan. Ultimately the solution was dialogue and diplomacy. If they had negotiated a settlement earlier, then it would have been better to take the Taliban's offer in 2002 when they were ready to surrender. But that did not happen and we have the consequences," he added.
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