SCO safeguards regional peace, stability

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SCO safeguards regional peace, stability

(Xinhua) 08:52, September 12, 2013

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TASHKENT, Sept. 11 -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has played an important role in fighting the "three evil forces" and safeguarding regional peace and stability, says the chief of the group's anti-terror agency.

Zhang Xinfeng, director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency of the SCO, made the remarks in an interview with Chinese reporters ahead of Friday's SCO summit in Bishkek.

Since it was established in 2004, the agency has forged more than 300 resolutions and established about a dozen cooperation mechanisms, which have contributed to regional security cooperation, he said.

On the future development of the SCO, Zhang said the organization faces some new threats and challenges in the security area, including the negative impact of global turbulence, weapons smuggling, and online activities by the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

In the face of the new threats and challenges, the SCO will strengthen the anti-terrorism agency's ability in processing information, coordinating operations against the "three evil forces" and managing the Internet, he said.

The SCO, he said, should also strengthen cooperation with law enforcement departments of its observers and dialogue partners to counter international terrorism in a wider range.

Noting that the security of Central Asia is closely linked with that of China's west, especially Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, he said the "three evil forces" pose a threat both to China's Xinjiang and to Central Asian nations.

SCO members have reached consensus on joint efforts to fight the "three evil forces," Zhang said, adding that further efforts are needed to enhance cooperation in this field.

Besides security, SCO members should also continue to advance their cooperation in the fields of economy and culture, as security is not an isolated issue, he said.

Security is interwoven with economic development, people's livelihood, religion, ethnic problems and society; a region's security and stability rely on its all-round development, he added.

SCO members, he said, should give full play to their respective advantages and jointly promote social and economic development in a win-win and effective manner.

（Editor：ZhangQian、Yao Chun）