Delegates of Shanghai Five States Meet to Prepare SummitRepresentatives from Russia, China and three Central Asian nations ended a meeting Tuesday in Alma-ata to review the implementation of their trust-building treaties and prepare for a sixth summit of the five states.This was the fourth gathering of the United Examination Group on implementing the treaties on deepening trust between militaries in border regions, and reducing military forces in border regions of the Shanghai Five States. The minutes of the talks was signed Tuesday by the participants, including the special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vitali Vorobiyov, and the Chinese Ambassador Sun Yanheng. Vorobiyov said at a press conference after the signing ceremony that the lead topic of the meeting was how to implement the two treaties. They also discussed further enhancing mutual surveillance as well as military cooperation in their border regions, Vorobiyov said, adding that in order to extend military cooperation and enhance mutual trust, the five states may need to have joint military exercises. The "Shanghai Five States" refers to China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. They held their first summit in Shanghai in 1996 when the five states secured the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions. In 1997, leaders of the five states clinched the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions when they met in Moscow. Another three meetings of leaders of the five states were arranged thereafter in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. |
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