SCO Parliaments Heads Discuss Cooperation in Moscow, Meet Putin

The first meeting of heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization participating states parliaments took place at the “President-Hotel” in Moscow May 30 this year, Muzaffar Zakhidov of the Information Agency “Jahon” reported from Moscow in Russian Federation. [in Uzbek] [in Russian]

Photo: a fragment of the SCO heads of parliaments session in Moscow, Source: official website of the SCO Summit 2006

The chairman of the Federation Council of Russia’s Federal Assembly Sergey Mironov opened the session. He said that beginning of the inter-parliamentary dialog within the SCO framework has come as another important step in strengthening the regional organization.

“For over the five years of its activity the SCO has played an important role in deepening the good-neighborly relations, mutual trust and friendship between the participating states, as much as in strengthening security and stability in the region,” Mr. Mironov has been quoted as saying.

While o­n the need to establish the regular and systemic interaction between the SCO member-states parliaments, Mr. Mironov has noted that the very parliaments were called upon to timely direct the reliable legal basis to integration processes.

“Main directions of cooperation of the SCO countries,” – Mr. Boris Gryzlov, the Chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) said, “is to ensure the collective security, stability, economic growth, joint planning and undertaking of counter terrorist operations, as well as cooperation in humanitarian sphere”.

In this regard, the SCO parliaments may and must utilize their powers to assist the solution of the key objectives of the organization.

“We as the heads and deputies of national parliaments can do more to promote collective security through ensuring the needed legislative basis, as much as implement the large programs of trade and economic cooperation”, - Mr. Gryzlov was quoted as further saying.

U Bangguo, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), noted that security and stability in Central Asian region is now being subjected to new threats and challenges. According to him, in implementing the tasks the SCO has set before itself the member states have to go along a long and complex way.

While dwelling upon the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation Mr. Bangguo has said that it should be based o­n various and flexible forms of dialog.

Speaker of Legislative chamber of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Erkin Khalilov has also attended the session. While taking floor, Mr. Khalilov has underscored that the SCO had revealed new opportunities in addressing the complex tasks of inter-state interaction given the current inter-faith and civilization diversities. According to him, this undoubtedly promotes the dialog between different and at the same time spiritually close nations.

Uzbekistan considers the SCO as the most important factor in ensuring the sustainable development of the country, peace, and stability in the region.

“Participation of parliaments in organization’s activity will give a new impetus to deepen cooperation o­n security, as much as in humanitarian and economic spheres”, - Mr. Khalilov said.

The same day the Russian President Vladimir Putin received the heads of the SCO parliaments in the Kremlin. Mr. Putin has said that at the moment the attempts were observed o­n the international arena to establish a competitor to the SCO.

In such situation as the Russian leader believes it would be right not to indulge in competitions, but rather engage in joint constructive work, as it has been the case previously.

“The Shanghai organization must develop as an effective guarantor of stability and security of the Eurasian space”, - President Putin is quoted to have said.

According to Mr. Putin, the accuracy and clarity of its principles, as well as respect for the originality and sovereignty each of its participating nations can be taken for the business card of the organization.

He also underscored that Russia would keep o­n the course of increasing the role and capacity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

“At the moment the SCO is addressing urgent political, counter terrorist and economic tasks,” – Russian President said, “and it is a good example of equal partnership based o­n the common interest in effective joint actions”.

With Ikboljon Soliev contributing in English

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Information Agency “Jahon”
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This release was published on openPR.