On SCO summit sidelines, CEO refuses to meet Pakistan PM

SOCHI (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah has arrived in this Russian city to participate in the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

Issues relating to regional security, including the situations in the Gulf and Afghanistan, are likely to be discussed at the two-day summit involving heads of state and government.

Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Pakistan are SCO members while Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are observers.

Mujib Rahimi, spokesman for Abdullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News the participants would confer on joint efforts to purge the region of terrorism and push for greater economic cooperation.

Abdullah’s deputy spokesman Javed Faisal said the CEO would meet heads of state from member countries, barring Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The CEO will also meet the SCO secretary-general.

In response to a query, Faisal said: “Pakistan had proposed Abbasi’s meeting with the CEO, but the latter rejected the proposal.”

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