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SCO heads of government agree to strengthen peace at meeting in Islamabad — chief

According to Zhang Ming, the meeting participants also discussed "principled issues of cooperation in practical areas

BEIJING, October 16. /TASS/. The heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states agreed to jointly promote peace and strengthen regional and global stability at a meeting in Islamabad, Secretary General Zhang Ming said.

"Against the backdrop of escalating global geopolitical conflicts, the sides exchanged views on the topical issues on the international and regional agenda and reaffirmed the SCO's determination to make joint efforts to strengthen global and regional peace, security, stability, prosperity and development on the basis of multilateral cooperation," the SCO press service quoted the chief as saying at a briefing after the meeting.

According to the SCO chief, the meeting participants also discussed "principled issues of cooperation in practical areas. Zhang Ming pointed out that special attention was paid to the prospects of developing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, transport, energy, agriculture, the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, technologies and innovations, as well as educational, cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

Reform of organization

The SCO secretary general pointed out that the sides also discussed the modernization and reform of the SCO, and worked out an action plan for the practical implementation of the proposals adopted at the Astana summit. This time, the heads of government also had "a thorough exchange of views on a number of important issues, including those related to improving the work of specialized ministerial and expert cooperation mechanisms and increasing the effectiveness, functioning and flexibility of the organization's permanent executive body."

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established on June 15, 2001. Its first members were Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They were joined by India and Pakistan in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus during this year's summit.

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