The Guardian 7 June, 2006
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
summit "milestone"
BEIJING: The coming summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on June 15 will be a "milestone" marking a new stage in the development of the five-year-old organisation said its Secretary-General Zhang Deguang.
The organisation, established in Shanghai in 2001, comprises the People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since 2004, it has accepted Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India as observers. The member nations have invited leaders of the four observer countries and the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai to attend the meeting. The leaders of some international organisations will also be invited, for the first time, to attend the summit meeting.
Consensus
Zhang said that all parties concerned have basically reached a consensus on the main agenda of the summit meeting. Some documents on development and cooperation are expected to be signed. Preparations are going smoothly he said.
Over the past five years the SCO has completed its institutional construction and legal framework. "The necessary systems and mechanisms are all in place, creating conditions and laying a sound foundation for promoting regional stability and economic development", said Zhang.
"Our present goal is to realise the free flow of commodities, capital, technologies and services in the region within 20 years."
Zhang refuted media reports calling the SCO an "oriental NATO", saying this is "totally groundless."
The SCO has never sought confrontation with any parties and its aims have nothing to do at all with becoming a military bloc. The organisation will continue holding high the banner of peace, cooperation and openness, said Zhang.
As a founding member, China has played "a very important role" in establishing the SCO and the formulation of its aims and principles, especially the "Shanghai Spirit", which embodies mutual trust and benefit, equality, respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development. The SCO is the first intergovernmental organisation with its headquarters in China.
Zhang said the remarks of Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a strong signal to the international community that the SCO is an organisation of peace, cooperation, openness and non-alignment that is devoted to promoting regional stability, security and development.
Challenges
The challenges the SCO now faces mainly include the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as drug trafficking, cross-border crimes and illegal trafficking and sale of weapons.
The SCO member countries also have to deal with the attempts to disturb the "normal process" of their social, political and economic development, in addition to poverty reduction, diseases and natural disasters.
As all the member countries have agreed to invite the leaders of SCO observers to attend the summit meeting, the presence of the Iranian leader will not conflict with the international efforts to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, said Zhang. He expressed the hope that it would be properly settled through negotiations and diplomatic efforts.