Charter for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Adopted at Summit in Russia

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 08, 2002

Charter for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Adopted at Summit in Russia

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Presidents from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan adopted at their summit meeting Friday in St. Petersburg the Charter for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which the leaders said lays a firm legal foundation for future development of the six-nation organization.

The SCO was inaugurated in Shanghai, China, last year on the basis of the former Shanghai Five, a regional forum on security and trade and economic cooperation among the SCO member countries except Uzbekistan.

In the Charter, the six countries agreed to further upgrade their cooperation in all areas possible and make joint efforts to contribute to maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.

They are convinced that with the establishment of the SCO, member countries will be able to meet new challenges and even faceup to threats in a more effective manner. They also agreed that cooperation and coordination within the framework of the SCO wouldhelp tap the great potential of unity and cooperation among membercountries and their peoples.

The Charter also defined joint actions to crack down upon all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism and other cross-border crimes as one of the organization's basic tasks.

Meanwhile, the SCO encourages its members to start cooperation in all areas of their interest, such as politics, trade, economy, defense, environment, science and technology, education, energy, transportation, and finance.

It is also pronounced in the Charter that the SCO is not meant to target at any other country or international organization. On the contrary, it seeks to maintain peace and increase trust and security in the region.

The secretariat of the SCO, a permanent unit of administration which is responsible for coordinating activities within the framework of the SCO, is based in Beijing, China, according to theCharter.

Declaration Highlights Consensus on Anti-Terrorism

The declaration, or the SCO Charter, highlights their consensus on anti-terrorism as one of their top priorities.

The group will take essential steps to execute the Shanghai treaty on a crackdown on terrorism, separatism and extremism, and will draft documents on multilateral cooperation on the fight against drug-trafficking, arms-smuggling and other forms of cross-border crimes, as well as illegal immigration, says the declaration.

The SCO member states are firmly opposed to any and all acts, forms, methods and activities related to terrorism, the declaration affirms.

The fight against terrorism should be conducted on the basis ofinternational laws and principles. It should not be confused with a move against religion, a state, or a nation, nor should it be tendentious or based on the application of "double standards," thedocument adds.

The SCO member states hold it necessary to establish a global system to meet new threats and challenges under the coordination of the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council, which should include the establishment of multilateral coordination mechanisms to issue early warnings, avert possible threats and make resolute and consensus reactions to possible threats, it says.

Thus, it is imperative to work out anti-terror principles and aspecific international legal basis that all parties concerned mustabide by to avoid any dual-interpretation, or any use of them as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs or violate the sovereignty of other countries.

The Shanghai treaty on the crackdown on terrorism, separatism and extremism, signed in June 2001, and the agreement on the establishment of a regional anti-terrorism agency, signed on June 7, 2002, provides the formation of a legal basis for business-likecooperation between the six countries on the crackdown on terrorism, separatism and extremism, says the declaration.

The SCO member states are fully confident that it is a major direction in the global fight against terrorism to realize the elimination of the social basis that breeds terrorism, including the elimination of poverty, unemployment, ignorance and racial, ethnic and religious discrimination, it says.

The declaration says the SCO member countries support one another's efforts for rooting out terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as efforts of the international community to cut off financing channels of terrorist activities.

The SCO member states will also strengthen efforts to strike atterrorism at home, will not allow the training of terrorists at home or the financing of terrorist activities, and will refuse to provide asylum for terrorists, the declaration says.

SCO Emphasizes Importance of Nuclear Nonproliferation

The observance of the international nuclear nonproliferation regime is one of the most important factors in safeguarding peace and security in Asia and the whole world, says the Declaration.

The six countries called on countries that have not signed or ratified the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter the international framework as early as possible, which will be conducive to the strengthening of strategic stability at all levels.

The declaration says the SCO supports the establishment of nuclear weapons free zones, including Uzbekistan's initiative to establish a nuclear weapons free zone in Central Asia.

The SCO stresses that Mongolia's nuclear free status be respected and supported. The SCO welcomes the new treaty signed between Russia and the United States on further reducing their offensive strategic weapons sharply, which it considers as a positive contribution to promoting nuclear disarmament.

The declaration calls for the start of multilateral negociations at an early date to work out a comprehensive agreement on not deploying weapons in the outer space, nor using weapons directed toward the outer space.

SCO Elaborates Stands on Relations With Some Countries

In the declaration, the SCO members express support for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea in their efforts to develop and increase dialogue and cooperation under the spirit of the June 2000 South-North summit.

It says the dialogue and constructive cooperation between the DPRK and Western countries, including the United States, intended to realize firm peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are beneficial.

On the situation in South Asia, the declaration says the SCO members call on India and Pakistan to resume political dialogue, so as to defuse tension and development cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the SCO expresses deep concern over the continued conflict in Middle East, saying that the situation in the region has brought about passive impact on the regional and global security and stability.

The SCO members urge Israel and Palestine to carry out related resolutions of the U.N. Security Council as soon as possible and actively respond to the peace efforts by the international community, in a bid to return to the track of resolving disputes by peaceful means.

On relations with Iraq, the declaration says the SCO members will continue political and diplomatic efforts along with other parts of the international community to ensure comprehensive implementation of all the U.N. Security Council resolutions concerning the issue of Iraq.

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