Shanghai Five FMs Meet, Prepare for June Summit

Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Five countries of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan met in Moscow Saturday on preparation of the Shanghai Five summit scheduled for mid-June in Shanghai, China, as well as on international and regional affairs.

Before signing a joint communique and a press communique on the meeting, the five ministers discussed preparation work for the upcoming Shanghai Five summit and passed two documents to be signed in the summit.

They also exchanged views on a number of international issues and situation in the Central Asia and reached broad agreement.

In their joint communiques, the ministers regarded the activities of the Shanghai Five as substantial contributions to the realization of multi-polar world and democratization of international relations.

Summing up results achieved since the last Dushanbe summit in July 2000, they said the full implementation of all provisions of the Dushanbe Statement and further enrichment of multi-lateral cooperation are the premises for boosting the cooperation of the Shanghai Five to a higher level.

They reaffirmed the stand of supporting, safeguarding and observing the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, stressing it a cornerstone of strategic stability and the basis for the reduction of offensive weapons.

Any attempts to undermine the ABM Treaty "would have unpredictable consequences for peace and security, and would start a chain reaction in the proliferation of missiles and missile technologies," they said.

They believed that the international community has the ability to "effectively counter the proliferation of missiles and missile technologies by political and diplomatic measures."

They also said it was necessary to "ensure the continuity of arms reduction, primarily of strategic offensive weapons."

The ministers expressed their common hope that the Central Asia should be a "zone of peace, stability, development and mutually advantageous cooperation."

They stressed the readiness to closely cooperate with related countries to effectively crack down on destructive forces that endanger the security of this region.

Facts have showed the Shanghai Five's policies on combating against "terrorism, extremism and separatism are correct and timely," they added.

The five ministers expressed satisfaction on their increasingly deep cooperation in the military field, highly appreciating the work of a joint military inspection group, which is responsible for strengthening mutual trust in border regions as well as force reduction.

They called to develop economic cooperation in different aspects and at different levels, which will lay material foundation for mutual coordination in the framework of the Shanghai Five.

Sharing a common willingness to join the World Trade Organization, the ministers said their countries are ready to hold regular consultations on major international economic relations on the bilateral and multilateral basis.

Noting the rising international prestige of the Shanghai Five, the chief diplomats said the community has become an influential and positive factor in safeguarding the peace, security and stability of the region and the world.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who arrived in Moscow Friday for a four-day visit, as well as his counterparts from Russia Igor Ivanov, from Kazakhstan Yerlan Idrisov, from Kyrgyzstan Mur atbek Imanaliyev and from Tajikistan Talbak Nazarov, attended the meeting.

Addressing the Shanghai Five Foreign Ministers meeting, Tang said it was necessary to "expand our mutual relations and promote our cooperation level in face of the complex international and regional situation."

The minister urged the five countries to increase their cooperation in "safeguarding regional security, expand close coordination in global affairs and develop mutual-beneficial economic and trade cooperation."

At present, with the development of political multi- polarization and economic globalization, the attempt to establish a unilateral-polar world is becoming increasingly unpopular and impossible, Tang said.

He warned that the hegemonism and the Cold War ideas do not quit the international stage as the setting in of the new century and, on contrast, return trends re-emerge sometimes.

After five years of growth, Tang said, the Shanghai Five has "become a bond to connect the friendship of the five peoples and to safeguard the strategic interests of the five countries."

Serving as an important positive factor for advancing the peace, stability and development of the European-Asian Continent and the world, the Shanghai Five has received more and more attention and recognition from the International community, he added.

At the first year of the new century and the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Five, the five top leaders will re-gather in Shanghai, the rising place of the Shanghai Five, to make decisions and figure out strategic program for future development of the group, Tang said.

This year's Shanghai Five summit scheduled for June 15 will be a big event in the development course of the Shanghai Five and will produce significant influence on cooperation between its members as well as on regional and International situation, Tang added.






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