The SCO, the regional organization for multilateral cooperation, evolved from the Shanghai Five and now includes Uzbekistan as a new member.

The group's first meeting in April 1996 was originally set up to resolve border issues between China and several countries within the former Soviet Union.

The six presidents Thursday paid tribute to the cooperation mechanism now established and the key role it had played in maintaining good relations.

It was decided presidents of the SCO members will have their second meeting in the summer of next year in Russia, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

The six presidents Thursday signed the joint statement, in which Uzbekistan expressed willingness to join the group. All members agreed to allow Uzbekistan to join the Shanghai Five as the "completely equal member".

Uzbekistan is also willing to become the founding country of SCO.

They will sign two documents Friday -- the Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held meetings with his counterparts Thursday.

They signed the Interim Rules of Procedure for the Council of Co-ordinators of Member States of SCO.

President Jiang Thursday held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan and President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan.

China will continue to support Russia's effort of maintaining global strategic stability, said Jiang during the meeting with Putin.

Putin reiterated Russia's stance on the missile defence issue and the two presidents agreed to keep "close contact" on the issue in the future, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Putin flew into Shanghai Thursday to attend the summit meeting.

At Friday's summit meeting, the six presidents will move forward the Shanghai Five mechanism to the new "Shanghai Cooperation Organization", said Jiang.

"This is of great significance for developing bilateral relations between us, maintaining security and stability of the region and pushing the process of global multipolarization," Jiang was quoted as saying.

Putin said that the process of Shanghai Five is developing smoothly. He welcomed the addition of a new member which, he said, would enhance cooperation within the region..

He told Jiang that the bilateral relations are "positive and rapidly-developing" and that the two countries could liaise more closely still in a number of areas.

He invited Jiang to pay a state visit to Russia in July. By then, Jiang and Putin are expected to sign the China-Russia Good-neighbourly Friendship Cooperation Treaty.

This is the legal document guiding the development of Sino-Russian relations in the new century. It will exert a profound influence on the long-term and stable development of relations between the two countries.

"(The fact that) we keep good working relations and personal friendship is the important guarantee for the stable advancement of China-Russia relations", Jiang was quoted as saying.

Putin is to meet US President George W. Bush in Slovenia after his trip to Shanghai.

During the meeting with President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan, Jiang expressed his appreciation for Rakhmonov's positive contribution to the development process of Shanghai Five.

He thanked Tajikistan for supporting China on the question of Taiwan and the fight against ethnic separatism.

Separatism, terrorism and extremism have become the major threat to regional security and stability, according to Jiang.

China and Tajikistan share similar views on combating the "three forces". The six presidents will sign the convention on combating these issues Friday.

Rakhmonov told Jiang that the six-nation summit has important historic and political significance because of the birth of the new organization.

Jiang said the establishment of SCO will promote the unity and co-operation of all member countries.

(chinadaily.com.cn 06/15/2001)