The annual meeting of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization
(SCO) opens tomorrow. Leaders of SCO member states will complete
the roadmap for the five-year-old organization at the Shanghai
meeting.
They will review the SCO's achievements over the past five years
and define its mission in the future.
The growing participation in these annual gatherings highlights
the growing role the SCO is playing on the global stage.
China has invited Afghan President Hamid Karzai to attend the
meeting, while invitations have been extended to some international
organizations for the first time. Meanwhile, leaders from Mongolia,
Iran, Pakistan and India will also attend as observers.
As it has grown and matured over the past five years, the SCO
has proven its viability as a vehicle to promote peace, security
and development.
At a meeting in Shanghai in April 1996, the leaders of Russia,
China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on
deepening military trust in border regions. This gave birth to the
"Shanghai Five," which changed its name to the SCO in 2001, the
year which also saw Uzbekistan join the organization.
Previous SCO summits have laid solid legal foundations for
realizing the goals of the organization. As two standing institutes
of the SCO, the secretariat and the executive committee of its
regional anti-terror body have played an important role in
realizing its goals.
The summit is expected to conclude with a declaration, which
will tell the world that the organization is devoted to building
the region into one of lasting peace, security and prosperity.
The six heads of state will sign a host of documents dealing
with the SCO's organizational development, secretariat and
personnel.
Safeguarding security in the region and developing trade and
investment are the SCO's strategic tasks.
Peace and security will facilitate regional economic
integration.
The "Shanghai Spirit," which embodies mutual trust and benefits,
equality, respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common
development, will remain at the heart of everything the SCO
does.
The summit's political declaration will confirm the principles
the organization will be based on in the future.
Since its establishment, the SCO has expanded its mission and
given top priority to maintaining regional security and stability,
as well as to creating favorable conditions for sustainable
development. It has never harbored ambitions of becoming a military
alliance.
Mutual trust, equality, openness and dialogue have turned out to
be real assets for the organization.
The past five years have offered ample evidence of the SCO's
role in regional and world politics. The organization, embracing
members from different civilizations, is a good showcase for its
willingness and ability to seek consensus and work for common
interests.
Tomorrow's meeting will make clear again the SCO's principles
and strategy for development.
(China Daily June 14, 2006)
