Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) for introducing new patterns for
successful international cooperation.
Putin made the remarks in an article published on the eve of the
SCO's 2006 summit to be held on Thursday in Shanghai. The summit
coincides with the fifth anniversary of the group's
establishment.
SCO members are Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Terming the SCO as an "influential regional organization", Putin
said the SCO has become an important factor in maintaining
stability in Eurasia.
Countries in the region have long understood the importance of
joining forces to meet new challenges faced by them, Putin said.
Only on the basis of multilateral cooperation and through their own
efforts, can peace and economic development in the region be
guaranteed, he said.
Reviewing the SCO's achievements in resolving the border
problems among members, Putin elaborated on the organization's
successful cooperation in a number of areas, including security,
economy and culture.
Facing the menace of "the three evil forces" of terrorism,
separatism and religious extremism, members of the SCO had had
discussions on the importance of joining efforts in fighting
terrorism and begun practical work on it long before the September
11 terrorist attacks on the US.
The member states already have effective means to counter the
threat of terrorism, separatism and extremism, he added, saying
that the next move will be coordination and cooperation in the
fight against drug trafficking.
Maintaining regional stability has been the focus of the SCO and
extensive cooperation has been conducted among members in this
regard, with emphasis being laid on coordinating actions and
working out specific measures.
Putin also highlighted the SCO's cooperation with observer
states, including India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia.
With an open approach toward dialogue, the SCO is ready to work
together with other countries and organizations to promote peace,
stability and development.
Economic cooperation among the member states has become
increasingly important to the SCO itself.
There is huge potential for effective and mutually beneficial
cooperation in the region, he said, adding that people's standards
of living in the region will be greatly improved through such
cooperation.
Regional integration will help bring into full play the member
states' competitive advantages in energy, resources supply and
transportation.
The SCO also places cooperation among enterprises and financial
institutions high on the agenda.
Within the framework of the SCO, humanistic and cultural
exchanges have become increasingly active, Putin said.
The SCO has also accumulated rich experience in cultural
exchanges and academic dialogue, and documents on educational
cooperation are being drawn up, Putin said, adding that bilateral
cooperation in tourism and sports should be extended to
multilateral levels.
The SCO has set a model for equal partnership in Eurasia. The
strategic aim of such a partnership is to enhance regional security
and stability, promote economic progress and push forward the
process of regional integration while maintaining the national and
cultural identities of each member.
Based on "the Shanghai Spirit" characterized by mutual trust,
openness and transparency, non-coercion and consensus, the SCO has
laid down a solid foundation for making even greater contributions
to efforts to resolve global issues in the present-day world.
(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2006)