In accordance with the President Islam Karimov’s decree “On preparation and conduction of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent, as well as other activities of the Chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the SCO”, dated January 21, 2016, our country is preparing to hold the major event at the highest level.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a prestigious international organization that makes a significant contribution to the peoples’ prosperous life in our rapidly changing time. The SCO Member States have been implementing effective projects for the development of political, trade-economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation over the last 15 years. The organization attracts the world’s attention to the prevention of international terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking, which pose a serious threat to the entire world.

Uzbekistan has been chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for the third time. For the first time our country chaired in 2003-2004. The summit of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization discussed the two main areas of activity of the SCO - security issues, trade and economic cooperation on June 17, 2004.

At the summit, President Islam Karimov has put forward constructive ideas and proposals for further improvement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s activity, the fight against international terrorism and religious extremism, strengthening economic cooperation in the region.

The head of our state, evaluating the situation in Central Asia, said that due to its geopolitical and geostrategic significance and abundant natural and economic, mineral and, primarily, hydrocarbon resources, the region continues to be at the center of world attention in the context of growing threats and challenges to security and stability in the world. He drew particular attention to issues related to reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

One of the most actual issues was the discussion of the situation in Afghanistan at the last Tashkent SCO summit. It should be noted that on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, at the first time the head of Afghanistan’s interim administration Hamid Karzai (in those years) was invited as a guest at the Tashkent SCO summit and then it became a tradition. Undoubtedly, his direct participation in the discussions played an important role in the objective assessment of the situation and comprehensive optimal solutions’ adoption.

As part of the Heads of Member States of the Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2004, the Executive Committee of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure, the organization’s permanent body’s establishment in Tashkent was an important historical event in the SCO activity. It was entrusted with the task of developing measures for combating terrorism by exchanging information, coordination and cooperation of special services, strengthening the joint struggle against terrorism, extremism, separatism, drugs and arms smuggling, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the prevention of threats to international and regional security.

The head of our state noted that the most important condition for the structure’s success is a general and common approach and vision of threats and challenges to security and stability in the Central Asian region and the world. He has stressed that Uzbekistan will continue to make every effort to create the necessary conditions for the Regional Antiterrorist Structure’s successful activity.

President Islam Karimov stressed that it can not be limited only with the elimination of destructive forces and their bases in the fight against terrorism, which means only use force against these threats. We must wage an irreconcilable struggle with the centers, which are poisoning people’s minds and funding terrorism. The struggle must also take into account political, social and economic criteria. Noting this need at the summit, the head of Uzbekistan has pointed out the lack of “transit state” concept against terrorism and drug trafficking.

The negotiations within the SCO framework are regular being hold between the foreign ministries, ministries of economy and trade, and the Security Council member states. The meeting of heads of the departments that contributed to the development and intensification of cooperation within the organization was also held on the eve of the Tashkent summit in 2004.

Questions on the coherence and coordination of communications’ and transport projects’ implementation, rational use of water and energy resources and raw materials, human resources in the interests of each country and the region as a whole remain relevant. At the suggestion of Islam Karimov, special attention was paid to attracting foreign capital and investment to the region, the formation of common to all the region’s countries conditions and rules in the SCO framework. Currently, put forward in the framework of the SCO summit all the proposals and approaches to strengthening international cooperation in various fields, enhance the well-being of peoples.

UzA