Premier Wen Jiabao has called for member countries of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to strengthen coordination
and cooperation so as to jointly deal with new threats and
challenges.
Meeting with SCO defense ministers Wednesday, Wen called for the
member countries -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- to jointly maintain regional peace,
security and stability.
Wen said the six countries should work together to create a
peaceful, cooperative, open, prosperous and harmonious environment
for development.
Since the establishment of the SCO five years ago, member
countries had upheld the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust and
benefit, equality, consultation, tolerance of diversity and the
pursuit of common development.
Wen said the neighboring countries had made outstanding
achievements in promoting friendship and mutually beneficial
cooperation.
He said defense and security cooperation was a priority in SCO
cooperation.
The defense ministers expressed appreciation of the excellent
organization of the meeting.
During their talks, they reached consensus on extending defense
cooperation and agreed to stage a joint anti-terror military
exercise in Russia in 2007.
The ministers at the meeting to discuss regional security issues
were China's Cao Gangchuan, Kyrgyzstan's Ismail Isakov, Russia's
Sergei Ivanov, Tajikistan's Sherali Khairullaev and Uzbekistan's
Ruslan Mirzayevare and Kazakhstan's B. Darbekov.
Ten years ago, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, known as the "Shanghai Five," gathered in Shanghai and
agreed military cooperation along their border regions.
The Shanghai Five evolved into the SCO in 2001 with the
accession of Uzbekistan.
(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2006)
