Moscow,
May 29, 2003
The Heads of States participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (hereafter the SCO, or the Organisation) — the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan – met in Moscow at a crucial point, when SCO is entering the period of completion of its organisational establishment and beginning to function as an independent factor of international affairs, and they state the following:
I
The course of events in the world demonstrates that the decision taken in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, to establish the Organisation was timely and that it is meeting the main trend of regional and world developments.
The SCO Charter signed in St. Petersburg on June 7, 2002, created a solid legal framework for the development of the Organisation and enabled it to become an important factor of ensuring regional peace and stability and promoting peace and development all over the world.
Having reviewed progress in accomplishing the task set by the last year’s SCO summit, the task of the earliest possible startup of all the SCO mechanisms stipulated by the Charter, the Heads of States believe that a great deal of useful work has been done in that direction over the past period.
The Heads of States approved the draft regulatory documents on the operating procedures of SCO bodies, including permanent ones such as the Secretariat in Beijing and the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS) headquartered in Bishkek, and also on the establishment of the emblem and flag of the Organisation.
Upon submission by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the SCO member sates the decision was taken to endorse Zhang Deguang (People’s Republic of China) as the SCO Secretary-General.
Procedures for the formation and execution of the budget of the Organisation were agreed, and the Heads of States signed an appropriate Agreement to that effect.
The Heads of States stress the need to provide for the beginning of the work of the SCO permanent bodies not later than January 1, 2004.
In this context it is important to provide for the timely entry into effect of the SCO Charter and the RATS Agreement and the adoption of the first budget of the Organisation at the meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) scheduled to take place in China this coming autumn, and also the completion of work on the financial provisions and rules of the Organisation and the draft documents stipulated by the RATS Agreement during 2003.
It has also been found necessary to expedite the formation of the RATS Council to address questions arising from the RATS Agreement.
The Heads of States thought it advisable to instruct the Council of National Coordinators to carry on work to agree concrete questions of the startup of the SCO mechanisms, recruiting appropriate experts of the sides for the purpose.
II
The SCO aims to jointly promote relations of partnership on the great expanses uniting our countries on a broad agenda that would include cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres and in countering present-day threats and challenges.
While taking a positive view of the process of institutionalisation and concretisation of substantive collaboration within SCO in various fields over the period since the St. Petersburg summit, the Heads of States draw attention to the need to ensure efficient cooperation between the foreign policy, defence and law enforcement establishments, emergency services, the ministries of foreign economic relations, transport and culture and other government structures.
The upcoming meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) will have an important role to play. Preparations for the meeting are to help intensify the ongoing negotiating process on ways of creating favourable conditions for trade and investment and on completing the draft long-term Program of multilateral trade and economic cooperation in accordance with the September 14, 2001 Memorandum concluded by the governments of the SCO member states.
The Heads of States stress the importance of invigorating contacts between the foreign policy establishments on topical matters of international affairs, including in the international organisations, primarily the UN.
The Heads of States reaffirm that SCO today, at the stage of its emergence and startup of its permanent bodies, is following the principle of openness in its readiness to establish contacts with other international organisations and nations regardless of their geographic location under the Provisional Scheme approved by the foreign ministers on November 23, 2002.
III
The Heads of States note that the present-day world with its diversity of political and economic systems is changing rapidly. What is changing is not just the political structure, but the entire international security system. It is necessary to formulate and implement a new security concept that is based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.
They reaffirm the need for observing and fulfilling the main goals and principles of the UN Charter and commonly recognised norms of the international law.
It is necessary to respect the civilisational diversity of humankind and promote its development. Different cultures should progress together, borrowing the best each of them has to offer, and strive for the common while leaving their differences aside.
It is important to contribute to the even-paced and sustainable growth of the world economy for the sake of achieving prosperity for all nations.
IV
The Heads of States note that recognition of the important role of the United Nations and the UN Security Council in addressing major international problems is of fundamental importance. The United Nations can and must be reformed to keep abreast of the fast changing world situation and with due regard primarily for the needs to find effective solutions to world political and security problems.
The SCO member states proceed from the assumption that one of the main areas of UN work should be pre-emptive measures to avert conflicts in accordance with the UN Charter and the norms of the international law.
The SCO member states believe that the UN should have an important role to play in the reconstruction of Iraq. One precondition of this country’s transition to a life of peace and to the building of a prosperous democratic society is respect for the national interests and sovereign rights of the Iraqi people and concrete and effective aid on the part of the international community.
V
The SCO member states believe that no country in the world can ward off present-day terrorism, the drugs threat or other trans-border challenges at a time of the growing globalisation of political, economic and social processes. In this context the pressing need for broad collaboration among all countries both at the regional and at the global level and for a practical contribution of each nation towards the solution of these truly global problems is beyond doubt.
The SCO member states, recognising the transnational nature of today’s terrorism and being in the forefront of the fight against its practical manifestations, are following a course of mutual cooperation and vigorous participation in the efforts of the world community in the struggle against terrorism, in particular, in stopping its financing channels. In this matter they assign an important role to close collaboration between the law enforcement agencies and secret services, and also the defence agencies of the SCO member states.
Along with promoting collaboration within the SCO, the member states of the Organisation intend to vigorously cooperate with the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council. They attach much importance to the early finalisation in the UN of the draft International Convention on Nuclear Terrorism and Comprehensive Convention Against International Terrorism.
At the same time the SCO member states consistently and invariably proceed from the assumption that the fight against terrorism should be waged on the basis of the norms and principles of the international law, and it may not be identified with the fight against any faith, individual countries or nationalities.
The problem of illegal trafficking in narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursors is becoming more and more alarming. It calls for the most effective measures on the part of the international community, not the least because drugs trafficking is one of the financial bulwarks of international terrorism. The SCO member states are making practical efforts to arrange for collaboration within the Organisation in fighting illegal trafficking in narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursors, and to this end will conclude an appropriate multilateral agreement before the end of 2003.
The goal of intensifying multilateral cooperation in countering the drugs threat arising from Afghanistan – a threat that is already acquiring global dimensions – is particularly acute today. In this context, the SCO members states believe it a timely measure that an international strategy for comprehensive neutralisation of the Afghan drugs threat be drawn up under the UN auspices and reiterate their firm commitment to close cooperation with the UN and other international organisations under the UN Drug Control Program.
The SCO member states voice support for the efforts of Afghanistan’s transition government to stabilise the situation in the country. The SCO countries believe that the latest world developments should not detract from the efforts of the world community in favour of the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The SCO member states are firmly convinced that success in the fight against present dangers depends in large measure on solutions to socio-economic problems, among them the eradication of poverty, mass unemployment, illiteracy and discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnicity or faith. The drafting under the aegis of the UN of a Global Strategy for Countering New Threats and Challenges seems to offer a key in the search for effective solutions to security problems.
VI
The SCO member states are convinced that the Organisation can and must make a tangible contribution to safe and sustainable development not just on its own expanses, but in the world as a whole. The SCO is ready to actively participate in building a regional security system that would equally respect the interests and approaches of all participants, and it will constructively cooperate with all nations and alliances in this major matter.
The SCO member states believe that at a time of globalisation the role of such factor as the maintenance and strengthening of strategic stability, including the problem of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, far from diminishing, is, on the contrary, growing more important in many respects.
Today it is more important than ever to pool the efforts of the international community in a search for ways of jointly building a structure and architecture of international security for that 21st century that would be acceptable to all nations.
The SCO member states are confident that the imperative of collaborative actions in the face of common dangers will prevail in the world and that humankind will opt in favour of a democratic world order that would guarantee ongoing progress and equal security for all nations in the world.