DUSHANBE, September 15./TASS/. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is stepping up its role in facilitating the settlement of international and regional conflicts, the secretary general of the CSTO post-Soviet security bloc, Stanislav Zas, said after a joint meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers, the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of the CSTO Security Councils on Wednesday.

"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important participant in the modern system of international relations, which is stepping up its contribution to ensuring peace and security, to the settlement of global and regional conflicts based on the aims and principles documented in the UN Charter," Stanislav Zas said.

According to him, the member states adopted a joint statement on the settlement of crises in the Middle East and in North Africa.