Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: India on Friday denied all allegations by Azerbaijan on putting a halt to its membership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during the recent summit in Tianjin, China, stating that a decision could not be taken up by member-states due to time constraints.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, claimed that both Armenia and Azerbaijan had applied for SCO membership. “Due to time constraints, a decision on the issue could not be taken by Member States in Tianjin. The matter continues to be under consideration by the group, "he added.
This comes days after Azerbaijan accused India of blocking the country’s bid to join the SCO with the help of Russia. Azerbaijan accused India of seeking revenge against Baku, following its close ties with India's rival Pakistan. The statement comes just a day after India opposed Baku's bid for complete membership in the SCO. Baku presently is a "dialogue partner" in the grouping. Earlier this week, it urged a full membership of the SCO, but India objected to it at the summit.
Notably, India shares cordial relations with Armenia, having supplied military equipment to Armenia amid regional tensions. Russia has always been a key associate of Armenia; however, it did not interfere in the latest conflict due to the Ukraine war, straining ties between Yerevan and Moscow.
According to a report, the Azerbaijan President Aliyev asserted that his country had extremely strong political, cultural and strategic ties with Pakistan. He disclosed his goals for expanding trade and economic cooperation within the Azerbaijani-Pakistani intergovernmental commission with Sharif, the report said.
A few days ago, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a peace treaty at the White House to put an end to the long standing conflict between the two nations. Following the peace treaty, the two countries have promised to reopen key transportation and trade routes, including those that had been closed since the early 1990s due to territorial disputes and war.
