The 2006 annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),
which was held here Thursday, will be remembered as an important milestone in
the development of the regional organization.
Five years ago when the SCO was set up, present at the first SCO summit were
only the heads of state from the six founding members -- China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
But on Thursday, the leaders of the SCO member states were joined by
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar,
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejadand, India's petroleum and natural gas
minister Murli Deora.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Executive Committee Chairman of the
Commonwealth of Independent States Vladimir Rushailo and Deputy
Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wilfrido
Villacorta also took part in the summit as guests of the host country.
The presence of so many dignitaries from Eurasia symbolizes that nearly half
of the world's total population has come united under the banner of the
"Shanghai Spirit" seen as the soul of the young SCO.
Their attendance also manifests the shared aspiration of the countries in the
region for strengthening mutually-beneficial cooperation on equal footing,
maintaining regional peace and stability and actively seeking common
development.
With a solid legal foundation, mechanisms of dialogue at different levels and
permanent organizational structure in place, the SCO has become a fully
functional international organization.
Building on its achievements in the past five years, the SCO is now able to
play its role more efficiently in maintaining regional peace and stability and
promoting common development in the region.
Chinese President Hu Jintao said Thursday the SCO summit this year signifies
that the regional organization has entered a new era of development. Hu's remark
was echoed by his counterparts from other SCO members.
The 10 documents signed at the 2006 Shanghai summit not only review the
progress the SCO has made but also outline clear guidelines for the
organization's future activities related to cooperation in trade, investment,
finance, education and the combat against terrorism, separatism and extremism as
well as drug trafficking.
At the summit, the leaders agreed to improve the SCO's internal structure,
carry out agreements, boost cooperation in specific projects, and expand the
exchanges and cooperation with observers and related international
organizations.
On the eve of the summit, the SCO Interbank Association held a meeting and
formally admitted the Settlement and Savings Company of Kyrgyzstan into it. The
SCO Business Council was inaugurated in Shanghai on the same day, which would
greatly strengthen economic cooperation among the SCO member states.
On security cooperation, the communiqu¨¦notes that "it remains the top
priority of the Organization to combat the threats posed by terrorism,
separatism and extremism as well as illegal drug trafficking, which have not
diminished but aggravated in scale and degree."
Joint anti-terrorism military exercises will be held on the territories of
the SCO member states in the coming years.
These moves will help the SCO yield more substantial fruits, better maintain
regional security and stability, and bring benefits to the peoples throughout
the region.
The 2006 Shanghai summit will have a far-reaching influence on future
cooperation among the SCO members and observers.
