(VOVworld) – The 12th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit (SCO) is taking place in China on June 6th and 7th with the particiaption of leaders from the organization’s 6 members, its observing countries and dialogue partners. Many issues related to the organiztaion’s strategic cooperation as well as solutions to expand its influence are included in the on-going summit agenda, promising new prospects as the organization enters its second decade of development. Hong Van reports:
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization comprised of 6 members including Russia, China, the 4 Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India, Iran, Mongolia, and Pakistan are invited to attend this year’s summit as observers and dialogue partners. Leaders of SOC countries agreed that the organization plays a key role in boosting cooperation and connection in fighting against dangers and risks as well as maintaining peace and stability for the region.
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| Chinese President Hu Jin Tao was speaking at the opening ceremony |
According to SCO Secretary-General Muratbek Imanaliev, the summit focuses its delegates a program with measures to fight terrorism, separatism, and extremism for the period 2013-2015. Speaking ahead of the summit, Chinese President Hu Jin Tao said that to deal with security challenges, the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should improve their ability to fight threats and dangers, controling regional problems themselves, while playing a greater role in the peace reconstruction process in Afghanistan. He added that the organization will establish a renovated security cooperation system to ensure the security and development benefits of its members. He urged SCO members to explore long-term policies to maintain peace, development and cooperation under the new circumstances.
The expansion of SCO is inevitable. SCO members have decided to grant Afghanistan the observer status. Commentators say the organization’s relationship with Afghanistan will bring SCO chances to expand its influence beyond the Central Asian region, especially after the US and Nato withdraws its troops from there in 2014.
Also topping the summit’s agenda is economics cooperation among member countries. President Hu said transportation is one of the key items that SCO member states should cooperate on developing, and SCO member states are discussing an agreement to make international traffic more convenient. Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin called on member countries to pay more attention to cooperation in the sectors of energy, transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, and especially telecommunications.
Another significant benefit to improving the organization’s cooperation is to networking among businesses and corporations of SCO member countries.
Statistics show that the total trading turnover of SCO member countries reaches nearly 4.7 trillion USD, an increase of 25% annually. The organization’s 6 member countries earned a GDP of more than 9.3 trillion USD last year in spite of the global economic crisis. Currently, the establishment of a SCO Development Bank is being researched by member countries.
Founded in 2001, after a decade of development, SCO has affirmed its important role in solving regional issues and is targeting a comprehensive cooperation among member countries.
Thu Van