Dai Bingguo, Chinese vice foreign minister, met delegates from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan here Thursday, to discuss military confidence-building and mutual reduction of military forces in border areas.

The delegates, headed by the United Supervision Group formed by the four countries, are on their 11th mission to China to discuss disarmament.

The four countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), established to strengthen confidence-building measures and disarmament along the border.

Dai said that confidence-building in the military and disarmament agreement has paved the way for diplomatic relations among the five countries and has served as a cornerstone for the SCO.

"The discussions have exerted positive effects for the maintenance of peace and stability among us and have promoted cooperation and the development of multi-lateral relations," said Dai.

In April 1996, the presidents of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan held their first joint meeting in Shanghai, where they signed an agreement on military confidence building in border areas.

"Ever since the establishment of the United Supervision Group, we have maintained good relations and yielded fruitful results," said Dai. "We should work hard still to guarantee the smooth implementation of these two agreements."

Vorobev, the head of the delegation, said the supervision group is indispensable for the realization of the two agreements and that he will strive to contribute more to the effort.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2004)