DUSHANBE, October 30, 2008, Asia-Plus – A two days meeting of the council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan on October 30.
The session ended with signing of a joint communiqué, which, in particular, noted that the SCO heads of government had endorsed the organization budget for 2009 and considered a number of organizing and financial issues related to activities of the SCO permanent institutions.
The SCO prime ministers also pointed to the necessity of concentrating efforts on cooperation in creating stable and predictable conditions for mutual trade and investments, strengthening market mechanisms and stimulating use of renewable energy resources.
The prime ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also discussed measures to overcome the ongoing financial crisis.
According to Itar-tass, Kazakhs PM Karim Masimov noted that Kazakhstan calls for an urgent meeting of finance ministers and heads of central banks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member nations.
“We call for holding a meeting of finance ministers, heads of central banks and observers in Almaty soon. During this meeting it would be possible to analyze the situation on the financial market in the region to draw a lesson from the existing situation and make conclusions,” he told the meeting of the council of SCO prime ministers.
The prime minister expressed confidence that the meeting “will help minimize possible further risks and negative consequences as first of all the talk is about reducing the quality of people’s life.”
“It is important to engage formats and mechanisms of partnership by using opportunities of observer countries and international organizations, with which the SCO cooperates,” he said.
Masimov stressed that the meeting has “to concentrate on a large-scale modernization of the leading industries. I mean the implementation of infrastructure projects in energy and transport that are strategically important for our countries.”
