Uzbek foreign ministry holds press conference about 16th SCO summit

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry held a press conference here Monday about the 16th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, saying a series of documents will be signed and tasks completed during the meeting.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Anvar Nasirov said according to the agenda, the heads of SCO member states will discuss issues of further deepening multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation within the SCO framework and exchange views on important regional and international issues.

In addition, they will address strengthening stability and security in Central Asia, expanding the SCO's contacts with other international organizations and states, as well as involving SCO observer states and dialogue partners more deeply in practical cooperation within the organization.

Moreover, the discussion is expected to include maintaining inter-state dialogue, achieving the SCO's common objectives in strengthening peace, stability and security, ensuring sustainable development of the SCO member states and joint efforts to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as deepening cooperation in economic and cultural areas.

At the end of the summit, a number of documents are set to be signed which are aimed at further improving the organization's activities, and developing mutually beneficial multifaceted cooperation among SCO member states.

The main outcome document of the meeting of the heads of state will be the Tashkent Declaration on the fifteenth anniversary of the SCO, which contains an assessment of the SCO's activities since its founding, a coordinated approach by member states, the organization's prospects and its positions on the current international and regional situation.

The SCO leaders will reaffirm that the organization is not directed against any other state or international organization in accordance with the principles of the SCO Charter.

The heads of state will approve the Action Plan for 2016-2020 to implement the SCO's Development Strategy, which includes specific actions in the main cooperative areas such as political, security, economic, cultural, humanitarian, informational and international spheres.

Meanwhile, the SCO countries will complete two tasks: one is to enhance peace, sustainable development, economic growth and progress, mutual trust, good-neighborliness, friendship and prosperity in the SCO area, the other is the development of the SCO as a multi-regional organization, which does not stipulate a formation of a military-political union or economic integration association by the establishment of supranational institutions of governance.

Nasirov said a Memorandum of Obligations by the Indian and Pakistani sides for obtaining SCO member state status will be signed, which is one of the important stages in the process of joining the organization as a full member.

Also, Nasirov said the two-day summit will kick off on June 23. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev and Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon have confirmed their participation in the 16th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Tashkent.

Presidents and senior officials from Afghanistan, Belarus, Pakistan, India and other observer states, as well as more than 1,000 representatives and journalists from various international organizations and countries will also take part in the meeting. Endi