SCO is for strict adherence to non-proliferation treaty

TASHKENT, June 24. /TASS/. Member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will continue cooperation in disarmament and control over weapons, in non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, in political-diplomatic settlement of regional challenges to regimes of non-proliferation according to the common, equal and indivisible security for all, the countries said in the Tashkent declaration of the 15th anniversary of the Organization, adopted after at summit on Friday.

"The member countries say the soonest coming into force for every Party of the Protocol on guarantees of security to the Agreement on the zone free from nuclear weapons in Central Asia will make a major input in improvement of the global regime of nuclear non-proliferation, in providing regional and international peace and stability," the document reads.

"The SCO countries are for strict observing of the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, for the overwhelming graduate promotion of all purposes and approaches, reflected in the Treaty."

The member countries welcomed beginning of practical implementation of the Joint overwhelming plan of actions on settlement of the Iranian nuclear problem, "successful implementation of which will favor expanding international cooperation for peace, security, stability in the region and beyond it."

The declaration also says that the SCO countries confirm adherence to supporting legal order on sea on the basis of the international law, including according to provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"All respective disputes should be settled peacefully on the basis of friendly negotiations and agreements between involved parties, without making them international or without interference from outside," the document reads. "Thus, the member countries call for full respect for all provisions of the aforementioned Convention as well as of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the approaches to its implementation."

Peace in Afghanistan is major factor for security 

The document says the soonest achieving of peace and stability in Afghanistan is a major factor for maintaining and improving the security in the region.

"The member countries support settlement of the inner Afghani conflict via promotion of the inclusive process of national reconciliation and believe these efforts should be undertaken under leadership of the Afghani and by the Afghani. The United Nations Organization should play the central coordinating role in the international cooperation on Afghanistan," the document says.

The SCO countries stressed the importance of soonest stabilizing of the situations in the Middle East and in North Africa by political settlements of crises in compliance with the UN Charter and the commonly recognized norms of the international law. They confirmed it necessary to keep the unity, sovereignty, territory integrity and stability in Syria, as well as lack of alternative to political settlement of the crisis, thus allowing the Syrian people decide their future.

UN convention on fighting terrorism

The declaration says fighting terrorism may be only together and call for soonest adoption of a respective UN declaration."International terrorism and extremism, including religious and others, make equally growing threat for the entire world and for the civilization."

"The member countries are confident winning and eliminating this evil may be only by developing joint fight, by measures to affect both symptoms and origins of the problem, and by common consolidated efforts of the international community on the firm basis of the international law and common complex approaches."

The SCO countries are "for soonest adoption of the UN overwhelming convention on fighting international terrorism." They are also confident in "importance of offering agreed political approaches to fighting terrorism, establishment of cooperation with international and regional organizations, countries and observers and partners in the SCO dialogue, as well as other countries to have conditions to expand cooperation in fighting terrorism under the new conditions."

The SCO countries expressed "solidarity with multi-lateral anti-terrorism efforts and confirmed they are for coordination of joint actions under auspices of the UN in fighting terrorist groups." The countries leaders said "fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism in their all forms, illegal production and turnover of drugs, illegal trade of weapons, munition and explosives, distribution of arms of mass destruction and means of their delivery will remain a priority task of cooperation in the Organization." They will have "further close cooperation in fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism, spread of ideology of extremism, first of all among the youth, as well as prevention of ethnic, race, religious intolerance and xenophobia." The countries will continue work on the Organization’s convention on fighting extremism, which will add to the legal base of cooperation in that sphere.

UN's leading role

The declaration says the leaders speak for keeping and improving of the central role of the United Nations Organization in global affairs.

"The quickly changing situation in the world is characterized by bigger geopolitical tensions, growing scale of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which affect the entire system of international relations."

"Under these conditions, the UN remains the leading universal international structure to support the global security, a major platform for settling inter-state and international problems."

The Organization members are for non-confrontational approaches to settlement of global problems.

"SCO follows the line, excluding bloc, ideology and confrontation approaches to settlement of current international and regional problems," the document reads.

The SCO leaders confirmed adherence to the commonly recognized objectives and approaches of the UN Charter and the international law, first of all which are related to supporting of the international peace and security, development of cooperation between countries, independence, equality, independent choice of social systems and development trends, mutual respect for sovereignty, territory integrity, inviolability of borders, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-use of force or threat of force.

Besides, the SCO countries spoke for further improvement of the leading role of the UN Security Council in providing for international peace and security, as well as for further wide consultations to search for a "packet solution" for tis reforming to raise its transparency and effectiveness.

Production of synthetic drugs

According to the declaration, the SCO leaders call for stopping the global production of synthetic drugs.

"The member states, expressing concern over the problem of international drug threat, confirm their strict adherence to the line for keeping and improvement of the present international system of control over drugs, based on three major conventions of the United Nations Organizations," the SCO Tashkent Declaration reads.

SCO leaders "consider it important to unite efforts under the auspices of the UN on the basis of complex and balanced approach, the common and joint responsibility of countries for the purpose of stopping the global production of drugs, including elimination of illegal plantations of drug-containing plants and their processing, of having an effective system of legal response to new synthetic drugs and other psycho-active substances, as well as for improvement of cooperation in rehabilitation from drug addiction and effective cutting of demand for drugs."

They assured the SCO countries "will continue improving the practical cooperation in fighting illegal turnover of drug substances, psychotropic substances and their precursors in the region on the basis of the SCO international legal documents."

"The member countries are for further development of cooperation in the SCO Regional Anti-Terror Structure in fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism," the document reads.

Common rules for behavior in information space

The SCO leaders support the idea to have common rules for behavior of countries in information space.

"The member countries are calling on the international community to form, a peaceful, secure, fair and open information space, based on principles of cooperation, respect for state sovereignty and non-interference with domestic affairs of other countries."

"The member countries support the work in the framework of the UN universal rules, principles and norms of respective behavior of states in the information space; they will continue in future improving cooperation in stopping terrorist and extremist groups in using information-communication technologies for their illegal criminal activities, to develop cooperation in the common fight against use of the information-communication technologies for criminal purposes, to be working in the framework of the UN to offer a respective universal legal document."

SCO leaders expressed intention to develop cooperation in managing the Internet, spoke for equal for all countries rights to manage that network, first of all for sovereign rights of countries for managing the Internet in their national segments.

Weapons deployment in space 

The declaration says the SCO countries are for banning deployment of weapons in the space. "The member countries stressed importance of preventing militarization of the space for equal and indivisible security for all and of supporting the global stability."

"They expressed support for the practical measures to prevent the arms race in the space, were the key measure is to offer an international agreement banning deployment of weapons in the space."

The Organization confirmed bilateral and unlimited building up of anti-missile defense by one country or a group of countries without respect for interests of other countries may damage the international and regional security and stability.

"The member countries are adamant it is not admissible to provide own security at expense of security of others," the declaration says.

 India’s and Pakistan’s joining

The SCO leaders welcomed India’s and Pakistan’s joining the organization and will cooperate with other countries and organizations.

"The member states confirm SCO is open for accepting interested countries, which answer conditions stipulated by the Organization’s legal documents," the leaders said in the Tashkent Declaration, adopted on Friday after the summit.

"A practical step in expanding of the SCO is signing of the memorandums on responsibilities of the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to gain the status of SCO member country."

The participants in the summit said "as India and Pakistan gain the status of the member countries, the Organization’s potential will be bigger thus raising further its role on the international arena as a multi-lateral mechanism for settling current problems, for providing security, stability and sustainable development in the region."

"The member countries will develop the dialogue and cooperation with international and regional organizations, with which SCO has official relations, as well as promote outer contacts for further formation of a partner network of multilateral unions," the Tashkent declaration reads.

The document says SCO participants "being adherent to peace, joint development and equal relations on the basis of mutual respect, friendship and good neighborhood will continue having fruitful and trustful dialogue, improve effective multilateral cooperation, apply all efforts for improvement of security and stability, for sustainable development in the SCO space."

Trade and economic cooperation 

The declaration says, the global economy faces consequences from the global financial and economic crisis, which has caused cutting of the demand, price volatility at major commodity markets, lower economic growth worldwide and other negative consequences.

"The member states say the major potential of the trade and economic relations and investment cooperation in SCO, formed over 15 years of the Organization, provides for positive tendencies in development of the regional economic cooperation and favors improvement of cooperation mechanisms. They say harmonious development on the SCO space is to the interests of balanced economic growth in the region. Thus, they will undertake agreed measures aimed at further expanding of mutually advantageous trade and economic cooperation inside the Organization, including by formation of favorable conditions for the trade, mutual investments and cooperation between businesses," the document reads.

SCO supported initiatives of the Chinese People’s Republic on establishment of the Economic Belt of the Silk Route. Implementation of this project will continue as it is an instrument to form up favourable conditions for development of regional economic cooperation.

The member states said it important to continue mutually beneficial cooperation in the sphere of energy, including in use of renewable and alternative sources of energy, promotion of cooperation in transport and formation of international transport corridors, which should connect Asia and Europe, in joint infrastructure projects to expand economically attractive transport and communication opportunities and to use the region’s transit potential.

"In this context, the member countries stress it important to have working as soon as possible the implementation of the agreement between the member countries on favourable conditions for international car transportation (Dushanbe, September 12, 2014)," the declaration reads. In order to provide financial support of the projects, the Organization will continue discussing establishment of the SCO Bank for Development and the Organization’s Development Fund (Special Account).

The Organization’s countries promised to "pay special attention to development in bilateral and multilateral formats cooperation in culture, healthcare, sciences and technologies, education, environment protection, sports, tourism, studies and keeping of cultural and natural heritages of the SCO region, including along the Silk Route."

Importance of implementing Minsk Accords 

The SCO leaders said the Minsk agreements should be implemented for settlement of the Ukrainian crisis..

The countries adopted the Tashkent Declaration after the Organization’s summit. The document reads:

"The member countries confirmed importance of a political settlement of the crisis in Ukraine on the basis of bona fide implementation of the Minsk agreements of February 12, 2015."