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)
