SCO Summit Vows to Boost Regional Peace, Stability, Prosperity

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 10th annual summit ended here Friday with a declaration pledging to build an effective and open multilateral organization dedicated to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Regional peace, stability, prosperity

Participants from the six SCO member countries -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- discussed key regional and global issues at the gathering.

The declaration pledged to strengthen mutual support on issues relating to each other's core interests, boost cooperation in the combat against terrorism, separatism and extremism and other destabilizing factors, enhance cooperation in overcoming the aftermath of the global financial crisis and develop infrastructure in the region.

The SCO had developed into a highly efficient and open multilateral organization and was an important factor in international and regional security and cooperation structures, the declaration said.

The organization will stick to its practice of shunning ideological means, cliquing or confrontation in efforts to settle major problems emerging in the process of international and regional development.

SCO members were determined to carry out all-around cooperation within the SCO framework and develop the organization into a reliable guarantee of regional peace, stability and prosperity, the declaration said.

As security threats and challenges continued to emerge, SCO members should further cooperate in fighting all forms of terrorism and strengthen dialogue between different civilizations and cultures to prevent the growth of terrorism and extremism, it said.

The declaration stressed that Central Asia's initiative to build a nuclear-free zone was not only an important step in promoting regional peace and security but also would contribute greatly to regional and global peace and security.

The unrestricted deployment of anti-missile systems would possibly become a destabilizing factor menacing global security and might lead to the proliferation of missile weapons, the declaration warned.

On the economic front, the leaders agreed to strengthen coordination to better deal with the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Member countries would implement joint programs in the fields of transportation, communication and others to boost trade and investment to improve the economic competitiveness of member countries, said the declaration.

At the summit, the leaders approved the SCO rules of procedure and the regulations on procedure for admitting new members to the SCO, laying the foundation for its future expansion, the declaration noted.

Member states pledged to strengthen cooperation with observers and dialogue partners to attract their resources and markets, it said.

Observer countries of the SCO include Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India while Belarus and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners.

The declaration concluded the SCO would carry on the spirit of peace, common development, cooperation on an equal footing, mutual respect and tolerance, and further strengthen its dialogue and cooperation with the international community to make a great contribution to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

Calling for stability in Kyrgyzstan

SCO member states also called for restoring stability in turmoil-hit Kyrgyzstan through dialogue, saying they were willing to provide necessary support to the Central Asian country.

In the declaration issued at the end of the SCO summit in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, the SCO member countries reiterated their stance of supporting each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and opposing interference in the internal affairs of sovereign countries and actions that might trigger regional tensions.

Any difference should be settled through dialogue and consultations by political and diplomatic means, said the declaration.

The member states emphasized that restoring Kyrgyzstan's political stability was significant to the entire region.

The Interior Ministry of the Kyrgyz interim government on Friday declared a state of emergency in the southern city of Osh after hundreds of youths smashed windows, looted shops and set fire to cars in the city.

Roza Otunbayeva, leader of the interim government, declared a curfew in Osh and the surrounding region.

An official from the Health Ministry said Friday morning at least 12 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured in clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan overnight. Later reports put the death toll at 23.

In mid-May, supporters of the Kyrgyz interim government and those of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev clashed in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad, during which tens of people were injured.

Riots broke out on April 6-7 across the country, resulting in the ouster of Bakiyev and the formation of an interim government.

Caling for U.N. leading role in mediating Afghan issue

The SCO also reiterated its support for the United Nations to play a leading role in international mediation efforts for Afghanistan.

The continuous deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan as well as terrorism, drug trafficking and transnational organized crime that originated in the country still posed "serious threats" to the region, the declaration said.

Peace and stability in Afghanistan was conducive to the region's continued social and economic development, the declaration said, adding the SCO member states believed "military means alone" could not solve the country's problems.

The SCO called on the international community to intensify the fight against all sections of drug production and circulation in Afghanistan.

The SCO member states would like to coordinate with other international and regional institutions on the drug issue and called on the International Security Assistance Force to cooperate with SCO members in combating drugs, the declaration said.

The declaration said the organization supported its member states in working together with international institutions and other parties to take part in the economic reconstruction programs in Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2010)