Chinese School - SCO leaders sign declaration on security, stability

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SCO leaders sign declaration on security, stability

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-17 01:51

BISHKEK -- Top leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), at
the 7th meeting of the Council of the SCO Heads of State, signed a
declaration 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
September 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.

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