SCO Vows to Fight Against Terrorism: Statement

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 08, 2002

SCO Vows to Fight Against Terrorism: Statement

Shanghai Cooperation Organization FMs meet in Beijing

The foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Monday condemned all forms of terrorism and pledged to fight any form of terrorism and stand against using terrorism for political ends.

Foreign ministers from the six SCO members including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan who gathered in Beijing for a meeting reached a consensus on such important issues as the current regional security and cooperation and the development of the organization, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting.

The statement says that the collapse of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not mean that international terrorist organizations and groups have gone forever automatically.

It says that the SCO members will continue their maximum efforts to get rid of the terrorism threat in the territories of the six nations, and call on the international community to give them support.

The statement says that the SCO members believe that terrorism does not limit itself to specific ethnic groups and religions, andthe fight against terrorism should be separated from opposition toany religion, freedom of worship or country and nationality.

The anti-terrorism campaign should be carried out at all levelsor worldwide, regionally and nationally, and should not be prejudiced or have double standards.

The statement says that the SCO members are worried about the threat of terrorism, and understand the actions of the members in combating terrorism, which, they hold, are important components ofthe international anti-terrorism campaign.

The SCO members agree that the United Nations and the UN Security Council should play a leading role in the anti-terrorism campaign, and all actions in this regard should conform to the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and other principles of acknowledged international laws. The scope of the actions should not be expanded arbitrarily, and the actions should not interfere in the internal affairs of any nation, and should help safeguard the long-term interest of regional and world peace.

The statement says that with the development of the current situation, there is an urgent need for the international communityto enter into agreements, accepted by all parties, on international terrorism and on the prevention of nuclear terrorismacts as soon as possible.

The SCO members hold that combating terrorism should rely on regional, sub-regional and national organizations. The SCO membershave decided to set up an anti-terrorism organization in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and hope organizations of this kind could be established within the framework of other regional and sub-regional organizations.

The foreign ministers call on the international community to establish a new concept of security with mutual trust and benefit,equality and cooperation as its core, and to promote the settlement of the issues of development and regional conflict, toreduce factors threatening security and eradicate terrorism.

The statement says that the SCO members are worried about the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, and hope that both sides maintain restraint to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

They hope the two sides will resume political dialogue to settle the problems properly and make joint efforts to fight against global terrorism.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization FMs Meet in Beijing

This is the first meeting of foreign ministers from the six countries including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan after the SCO was founded in June 2001.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, in his opening speech, highlighted the topics to be discussed.

Foreign ministers from five other countries offered their viewson the current Afghan situation, the international anti-terrorism campaign, cracking down on the "three vices," namely, terrorism, separatism and extremism, and the SCO construction.

The five foreign ministers also spoke highly of the SCO's important role in safeguarding regional peace and stability, as well as in the international anti-terrorism struggle.

Tang presented China's views on these issues and spoke positively of the SCO's achievements since its establishment.

Tang pointed out that there is vast potential for the organization in safeguarding regional security and stability, coping with crises and challenges, and participating in the resolutions to major international and regional issues.

Tang said the three tasks facing SCO were: to continue to keep close coordination and cooperation in Afghan and regional issues; to further cooperate in combating the three vices, so as to speed up the approval process of the Shanghai treaty on the crackdown onthe three vices and the preparatory work to set up an anti-terrorism organ in Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan, and to enhance cooperation in combating such terrorist organizations or groups as"East Turkistan," Chechen terrorists and the Uzbek Islamic movement; to accelerate the basic construction of the SCO and formulating its constitution and other legal documents to be readyfor the SCO summit this June.

After the meeting, the six foreign ministers signed a joint statement and met with media.

Tang said the meeting has resulted in wide-ranging consensus onthose topics, a joint statement, the passage of the SCO's principles of emergency mechanism, thus making it a success.

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