SCO outlines new norm of international relations
16/6/2006 17:04
Five years after its birth, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
has outlined a new norm of international relations aiming at ensuring the equal
rights for all countries worldwide.
The new norm, proposed in the form of a
new global security architecture, is centered on the "Shanghai Spirit" featuring
mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for
multi-civilizations and pursuit of common development.
The norm is of
critical importance to the international community's pursuit of a new and
non-confrontational model of international relations, a model that calls for
discarding the Cold War mentality and transcending ideological differences, said
a SCO declaration signed at Thursday's annual summit meeting.
The new concept
enriches the theory and practice of contemporary international relations and
embodies the shared aspiration of the international community for the
democratization in international relations.
The proposed norm of
international relations and global security architecture is based on the widely
recognized principles of international law. It discards "double standards" and
demands respect of the diversity of civilization and models of
development.
It opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs,
using the excuse of the differences in cultural traditions, political and social
systems, values and model of development formed in the course of
history.
Established in June 2001, the regional organization comprises China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Its member states
take up 60 percent of Euroasia and a quarter of the world's
population.
Security remained in prior agenda for the SCO members. Of the 10
documents signed by the heads of state of the six SCO members Thursday, four are
about security cooperation, including an anti- terrorism resolution for
2007-2009 period, an agreement on joint anti-terrorism actions among member
countries, and an agreement on cutting off the infiltration channels of
terrorists, separatists and extremists.
The six SCO members also vowed to
enhance international information security and eliminate possible dangers of
using information and communication technologies for criminal or terrorist
purposes -- a move indicating the SCO's security cooperation has gone far beyond
regional disarmament and border issues to tackle conventional as well as
unconventional threats and challenges facing the whole humanity.
Despite its
readiness to carry out international cooperation, the SCO holds it is the right
and responsibility of the countries in the region themselves to decide what
specific means and mechanism should be taken to safeguard their security.
The
six member states also vowed to safeguard each other's sovereignty, security and
territorial integrity and in case of emergencies that threaten regional peace,
stability and security, they will have immediate consultations and respond
effective to protect the interests of both SCO and its member states.
They
have sought to maintain security and harmony in Euroasia and the entire world
through all-round cooperation and exchanges in trade, economic and cultural
sectors.
"Terrorism sometimes originates from poverty," said Zhao Changqing,
a researcher with the SCO research center of the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences. "Trade and economic cooperation within the SCO framework will enhance
regional security and eventually benefit the people in these countries."
The
Euroasia boasts diversity in cultural traditions and religious, including
Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Orthodox. Enhanced cultural and humanistic
cooperation among the SCO members have provided a platform for dialogues among
peoples of different ethnic groups, and make different cultures boom in peaceful
context instead of conflicts.
The new norm of international relations is
timely, constructive as well as feasible and will help strengthen security,
peace and harmony in Euroasia and the world at large, said Sun Zhuangzhi,
secretary-general of the SCO research center of the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences.
Xinhua News
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