Tackling terrorist activity will be a top priority when the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meets on July 5 in Kazakh capital Astana.

"Member states will take new measures to step up the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism," SCO Secretary-General Zhang Deguang told a news conference on Friday.

"Deals to be signed will strengthen functions of counter-terrorism."

The organization groups China, Russia and the Central Asian states of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the summit, where leaders will discuss the latest regional developments.

Zhang said the recent turbulence in Uzbekistan could be cited as a terrorist attack by armed elements aiming to establish an extremist religious state.

China has said it firmly supports the Uzbek authorities' efforts to "strike down the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism" in the Uzbek city of Andijan.

The incident in May led to 500 deaths and prompted the UN to call for an international inquiry.

The unrest was the result of a terrorist plot, according to the head of a Central Asian security alliance, who dismissed concerns in the West that it was a bloody crackdown on protesters.

Asked how to differentiate terrorists from "freedom fighters," Zhang said: "Up to now we have not come across a situation where we could not tell who was the terrorist and who was the freedom fighter. We believe in our region we have a very clear view about these people."

At the upcoming summit, the SCO will draw up terms for joint anti-terror operations and compile a list of terrorists threatening the region, Zhang said.

The nations will also decide whether to give India, Iran and Pakistan observer status.

"One lesson from Andijan is that we should be on high alert against terrorists," Zhang said.

(China Daily July 2, 2005)