DUSHANBE, July 25, 2008, Asia-Plus — A regular meeting of the council of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that was held in Tajik government countryside residence Pugus on July 25 resulted in endorsement of proposals on the agenda of the SCO summit due in Dushanbe on August 28.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi noted that resolutions adopted at the Bishkek summit are being implemented successfully. According to him, the SCO member nations have similar stances on many international issues. He expressed hope that the Bishkek agreement on a long-term cooperation will be realized successfully.
According to him, it was recommended to intensify cooperation with international organizations, speed up implementation of a mechanism of partnership of the SCO. In cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will actively participate in post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan economy and promoting stabilization of the situation in that country.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Nurlan Yermekbayev, note that a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation reigns within the SCO.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi noted that his country attaches significance to cooperation within SCO in its foreign policy.
Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Ednan Karabayev noted that the meeting had considered the necessity of cooperation in use of fuel-and-energy potentials and implementation of transport projects. At an initiative of Kyrgyzstan, the meeting touched upon issues realtd to the water and energy problems as well as possible SCO expansion, Karabayev said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that the side will continue conducting joint anti-terror exercises within the framework of the organization and jointly combating trafficking in weapons and ammunition.
Asked about the possibility of admission of Iran to the SCO, Mr. Lavrov said, “We considered issues of practical participation of observer countries in various SCO projects.”
Commenting on this issue, the SCO Secretary General Bolat Nurgaliyev said that Iran had applied for joining the organization but there is no timetable in the SCO for considering such issues. “As observer country, Iran may take par in any type of the SCO activities.” The secretary general stressed.
Answering the question whether the meeting considered Tajikistan’s energy problems, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that that issue had not been discussed at the meeting. “Today, I start my official visit to Tajikistan and I thing that within the framework of the visit we will discuss bilateral issues, including economic and energy ones,” Mr. Yang said.
