UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan hailed the growing regional role of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in a message to its six summit meeting.

In the message released Monday, Annan congratulated the 10th anniversary of the SCO, and wished the success of the vital endeavors by the organization.

He said the organization has become an important regional grouping, and plays a serious role in addressing issues of peace and security in a part of Asia encompassing a large territory and a population of nearly 1.5 billion people.

"SCO member states have demonstrated, in concrete terms, their commitment to strengthening dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding, and have developed mechanisms and institutions to achieve these objectives," he observed.

The secretary-general added that the SCO has also expanded its scope of activities, welcome evidence of deepening ties between member states and their confidence in the organization.

"Indeed, you are now active on many of the most important issues of our times. You are trying to do more to safeguard the environment, promote development, and ensure that people have opportunities to compete fairly in the global trading regime," Annan noted.

He pointed out that SCO member states have made efforts to combat the menace of terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

"These initiatives point to the increasing interconnectedness of member states, and the enormous potential for mutual benefit and growth through cooperation," he stressed.

On the cooperation between the SCO and the United Nations, the secretary-general said the SCO has established close working contacts with ESCAP, UNDP and other UN agencies, and now has observer status in the General Assembly.

"The SCO also sent a senior representative to the last year's high-level meeting between the UN and regional and other intergovernmental organizations," he noted, hoping the SCO will be represented at the seventh such meeting this year at the highest possible level.