Kazakh President receives secretaries of Central Asian Security Councils
Images | Akorda
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received secretaries of the Security Councils of Central Asian countries, Kazinform News Agency learnt from the Akorda press service.
Greeting those present the Head of State noted the first meeting of the secretaries of the Security Councils of Central Asian countries is called to serve as an efficient platform for joining efforts to prevent internal and external threats and changes and elaborate necessary response measures.
The Head of State noted the interstate political dialogue embarked on a new level. Trade and economic cooperation between the countries is expanding. For the past five years, the interregional trade grew by more than 80% to exceed 10 billion US dollars. Business ties were strengthened and the number of joint ventures grew. Large regional projects not only benefit the countries but also change the configuration of the Central Asian economies. Development of the transport and logistics potential becomes a new benchmark for the rampant development of the region. The President said cultural and humanitarian ties deepened contributing to further rapprochement of Central Asian nations.
The President said the processes should be underpinned by a productive dialogue to ensure regional security and stability. Most of the modern challenges and threats are transboundary and require combined forces. First of all, the point at issue is a war on international extremism, terrorism, and drug and arms trafficking. The President stressed Afghanistan should be spotlighted as diverse processes are taking place there. One of the strategic tasks is to involve Afghanistan in regional ties actively. Too much depends there on the coordinated position of our countries. He noted it is essential to establish a UN Regional Sustainable Development Goals Center for Central Asia and Afghanistan.
The President mentioned today’s meeting is an important stage of the preparations for the 6th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia scheduled to take place in Astana on August 9.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan developed the Central Asia 2040 regional cooperation development strategy. Regional rapprochement prioritizes firstly the expansion of five-sided cooperation and the strengthening of the Central Asian international identity. He expressed confidence that the adoption of the document at the summit in Astana will be of concept-based importance for the region.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underlined the high level of regional cooperation in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness and alliance, and all-round cooperation with external partners. Global players are keen to continue active cooperation in the Central Asia+ format proven by the outcomes of the meetings held last year in the format of CA-EU, CA-China, CA-USA, and CA-Germany.
The Head of State called on to stand against external forces eager to set countries against each other and disunite them. He said we reject flatly such approaches and attempts.
In conclusion, the Head of State expressed confidence that the outcomes of the meeting will contribute to strengthening the cooperation of Central Asian nations in the sphere of security. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev thanked the countries for their fraternal solidarity and aid provided to flood-affected Kazakhstan.
Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan Gizat Nurdauletov, secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Marat Imankulov, Secretary of the Security Council of Tajikistan Nasrullo Makhmudzoda, Secretary of the Security Council of Uzbekistan Viktor Makhmudov, and military attaché of the embassy of Turkmenistan in Kazakhstan Annamyrat Yagmyrov attended the meeting.
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Xi warns SCO members of real threat from Cold War mentality
Images | Xinhua/Xie Huanchi
Chinese President Xi Jinping here Thursday called on the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to ensure security in the face of real threat from the Cold War mentality, Xinhua reports.
Xi made the remarks when attending the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO.
He urged the member states to adhere to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, address complex and intertwined security challenges through dialogue and coordination, and respond to the profoundly changing international landscape with a win-win approach, so as to build a world of lasting peace and universal security.
Xi spoke highly of Kazakhstan's positive efforts and significant contributions to improving the operational mechanism of the SCO and deepening cooperation in various fields during its rotating presidency, and welcomed Belarus to attend the SCO summit as a member state for the first time.
He pointed out that the SCO was founded at the turn of the century when confrontations and divisions left by the Cold War had yet to be resolved.
The SCO founding members made a historical decision to pursue peaceful development, commit to good-neighborliness and friendship, and build a new type of international relations, Xi said, adding that the "Shanghai Spirit" has become a shared value and guiding principle for the member states.
Noting that the SCO has had its 10th member state since its establishment 23 years ago, Xi said the foundation for SCO cooperation has become more solid as the SCO "big family" has growing membership which covers three continents around the world.
As the world is faced with accelerating changes unseen in a century, the human society is standing at a crossroads of history again, Xi said.
Xi pointed out that the SCO stands on the right side of history, fairness and justice, and is of great significance to the world.
He called on SCO members to safeguard the right to development in the face of real risks of "small yard, high fences."
Xi noted that SCO members should adhere to mutual benefits and inclusiveness, join hands to push for scientific and technological innovation, keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, stimulate the internal impetus of regional economies, and work towards common development goals.
SCO members should consolidate unity and jointly oppose external interference in the face of the real challenges of interference and division, he said.
The SCO members should firmly support each other, accommodate each other's concerns, handle internal differences with a spirit of harmony, and resolve cooperation difficulties by seeking common ground while reserving differences, and firmly grasp the destiny of our countries and the peace and development of the region in our own hands, Xi said.
The SCO has withstood the test of the changing international landscape, the root cause of which lies in the fact that SCO members remain committed to the fine tradition of solidarity and coordination, the way of cooperation featuring equality and mutual benefit, the value pursuit on fairness and justice, and the broad-mindedness of inclusiveness and mutual learning, Xi stressed.
Xi called on the member states to stay true to the original aspiration, continue to uphold the "Shanghai Spirit," help each other on their respective path to success, jointly maintain the development direction of the SCO, and build the organization into a reliable backbone for common prosperity and revitalization of its member states.
Leaders of the SCO members attending the meeting spoke positively of the constructive role of the organization in safeguarding regional peace and security, and voiced readiness to further strengthen cooperation in such areas as trade, transportation, energy, finance, agriculture, digital economy and technological innovation, as well as to deepen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, tourism and youth, among other fields.
Noting that the current global political and economic landscape as well as international relations are undergoing major changes, the leaders said the United Nations should play a central coordinating role in promoting the building of a more representative, democratic and equitable multipolar world system, and pushing for an economic globalization that is mutually beneficial and inclusive.
They called for respecting the legitimate security concerns of all countries, committing to resolve differences and disputes between countries through peaceful means, and opposing unilateral sanctions and interference in other countries' internal affairs.
The leaders agreed to improve the SCO mechanism for dealing with security threats and challenges, resolutely combat the "three forces," drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, support the international community's efforts for peace and development in Afghanistan, and support a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.
They signed and issued a series of documents, including an Astana declaration, and an initiative calling for solidarity among countries to promote world justice, harmony and development.
The meeting formally approved Belarus' accession to the SCO, and decided that China will resume the rotating presidency of the organization for 2024-2025.
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Kazakhstan hands over SCO presidency to China for 2024-25 period
Images | Akorda
Today, the Astana Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO member states was signed following the SCO summit in the Kazakh capital, within which China will assume the rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025, Kazinform News Agency cites the press service of the Organization.
SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming thanked the Republic of Kazakhstan for the productive work as the Chair during the meeting of the SCO Council of the Heads of State.
Before concluding, I’d like to thank the Republic of Kazakhstan for the productive work as the Chair as well as congratulate the People’s Republic of China on the beginning of the presidency of the Organization, said the SCO Secretary General.
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