Top leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), at the 7th meeting of the Council of the SCO Heads of State, signed a declaration on Thursday on international security and stability as well as other major issues of common concern.

 

Multilateralism

 

Globalization has increased the interdependence among countries, producing a closer link between their security and development, the declaration said.

 

Only when the whole international community makes concerted efforts, abides by the agreed-upon principles and resorts to the multilateral mechanism can it effectively deal with security challenges and threats of the contemporary time, the declaration said, adding that unilateralism does no good to resolving the existing problems.

 

An effective global security system can be established only when the leading role of the United Nations (UN) is ensured and the UN Charter observed strictly, it said.

 

The cooperation aimed at addressing new challenges and threats calls for persistent efforts, the discarding of double standards and the strict observance of international law, said the declaration.

 

In the field of international security, the declaration said, countries must not ignore some major issues, such as the sustained development of the world economy, poverty reduction, the elimination of imbalance in social and economic development, the safety of economy, energy, environment and information, as well as the protection of residents and territories of the SCO member states from suffering the damage of natural and technical disasters.

 

Strategic stability

 

The member states of the SCO are willing to cooperate closely in the issue of the UN reform, which should be based on the broadest consultation among its member states, the declaration said.

 

They have as always stood for strengthening strategic stability and opposed the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, it added.

 

The leaders also highlighted the importance of the treaty signed on Sept. 8 in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan to create a nuclear-weapon-free-zone in Central Asia, and welcomed the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a relative resolution at its the 61st session, said the declaration.

 

Information security

 

The leaders have also vowed to make joint efforts to enhance international information security, the declaration said.

 

They believe information and communication technologies serve as the driving force for human development. However, they expressed worries about the risks of the technologies being used for purposes that run counter to the maintenance of international security and stability.

 

Central Asia security, stability

 

The leaders agreed that the security and stability of Central Asia mainly depends on the strength of the states within the region, which may be further guaranteed on the basis of the existing regional organizations.

 

The leaders also noted the necessity to make collective efforts to take on new challenges and face new threats. They hailed the achievements of the Regional Anti-terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO and acknowledged its great potential for cooperation in cracking down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, the declaration said.

 

They expressed concern about the threat of drugs originating from Afghanistan and their harm to Central Asia, it said.

 

They appealed to expand anti-drug cooperation within the framework of the SCO , and to join international efforts to build an anti-drug safety belt around Afghanistan, the declaration added.

 

The member states are willing to participate in the efforts to normalize Afghanistan's political situation, promote economic cooperation with Afghanistan, as well as improve the work of the SCO -Afghanistan Contact Group, it said.

 

Energy cooperation

 

In the declaration, the leaders point out that energy plays an important role in sustainable economic development and security, and agree to establish a reliable and mutually beneficial partnership, which is conducive to safeguarding the security and stability within the SCO region and the world at large.

 

They consider it an urgent need to make comparison on energy strategies between SCO members, it said, adding that based on the existing resources, demands, production capacity and potentials of the six member states, the leaders agree to conduct dialogues on the energy issue and promote cooperation between energy producers, transit states and consumers.

 

The declaration was signed in Kyrgyzstan's capital city of Bishkek by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmonov, and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2007)