The annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) sent a
clear signal on Thursday that the member economies will intensify
all-round cooperation and strive to turn the region into a
harmonious one with lasting peace and common prosperity.
To that effect, Chinese President Hu Jintao proposed the formation of a
convention featuring lasting good neighborly relations and
cooperation within the SCO framework at the SCO summit meeting in
Shanghai, where the regional cooperation body was founded on June
15, 2001.
The summit started at 9 AM at the Shanghai International
Convention Center in Pudong, with group photos, handshakes and a
closed-door meeting between Hu and his counterparts from the other
five member countries -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev,
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Russian President Vladimir
Putin, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov and Uzbek President Islam
Karimov.
They were later joined for an extended meeting by other
participants to the summit, including representatives from the four
observer countries of Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran, and
international organizations. Afghan President Hamid Karzai also
attended the talks as China's guest.
The four observers were represented by Mongolian President
Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Iranian
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Indian Minister of Petroleum and
Natural Gas Murli Deora.
"We should respect and support the interests and concerns of all
SCO member countries, enhance coordination and cooperation in
international and regional issues, and timely consult on measures
to cope with major international and regional issues," Hu said.
He proposed the formation of a convention to consolidate the
foundation of political trust, unity and coordination among SCO
member states, and ensure the lasting vigor of the
organization.
"We should carry out at an early date a number of economic and
technological cooperation projects that will benefit all the
parties involved, especially in the fields of energy, electricity,
transportation and telecommunication."
He expressed the hope that the international community could
respect the social system and road of development independently
chosen by SCO member countries and observer countries, respect
their internal and external policies of peace, friendship and
cooperation based on their own domestic situation, and create a
harmonious and easy environment for their development.
Hu said it was a "historic decision" to establish the SCO,
attributing its growth to the member countries' advantages and
adherence to the principles of peace and development, sufficient
democracy and opening-up.
"The successful experience of the SCO can be condensed to one
point, that is to unswervingly advocate and practice the Shanghai
Spirit of mutual trust and benefit, equality, respect for cultural
diversity and a desire for common development," he said.
Peace, development and cooperation have become a trend of the
current world, but there still exist various traditional and
untraditional threats to security. Like the other parts of the
world, the SCO region maintains basically stable but is faced with
the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and
the problems of drugs and cross-border crimes. In particular, the
region is economically less developed.
"We should enhance all-round cooperation and strive to turn the
region into a harmonious area with lasting peace and common
prosperity," the Chinese president said.
China will join hands with other member countries to push
forward the SCO's substantial cooperation with observers,
Afghanistan, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the
Commonwealth of Independent States.
"China's peaceful development will bring about great
opportunities for neighboring countries, especially SCO members,
and China will constantly increase input and push forward the
development of the SCO," he said.
Echoing Hu's remarks, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said
the SCO is an important element in current international relations
and has witnessed an increasing status and a stronger
anti-terrorism capability.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev spoke highly of Hu's proposed
convention on lasting good neighborly relations and cooperation
within the SCO framework.
The SCO should expand cooperation with other countries and
international organizations in international information security,
economic and trade as well as humanistic sectors, said Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov said the SCO's establishment
is "an inevitable trend" and its members should make concerted
efforts to improve the organization's international prestige.
The collaboration among SCO members based on mutual trust,
mutual respect and constructive cooperation will contribute to
regional peace and stability and will improve the lives of the
people, said Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
The other participants also made separate speeches at the
summit. They spoke highly of the SCO's achievements over the past
five years, and expressed hope to further intensify cooperation
with the organization.
After the talks, the presidents of the six SCO members signed 10
documents, including a declaration on the SCO's fifth anniversary,
a joint communiqué on closer SCO cooperation, a statement on
international information security, an anti-terrorism resolution
for the 2007-2009 period, an agreement on joint anti-terrorism
actions among member countries, and an agreement to cut off the
infiltration channels of terrorists, separatists and
extremists.
The day ended with artistic performances, including a chorus
presented by 10 artistes, one from each of the SCO's member and
observer states.
Next year's SCO summit will be held in Kyrgyzstan.
SCO Members Issue Joint Communiqué
(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)
