UZBEKISTAN SUPPORTS THE COOPERATION IN PRIORITY AREAS OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE SCO

In July 2015 the Republic of Uzbekistan took the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The adoption of such a mission coincided with the 15th anniversary of the SCO, which gives special significance and high responsibility to our country in enhancing the prestige of this structure and improving its performance.

Uzbekistan considers the organization as a union of equal states, the mechanism of multilateral cooperation aimed at strengthening peace and stability in the region, a constructive partnership on resistance to threats to regional and international security, sustainable economic and social development.

According to foreign experts and observers, Uzbekistan is making a significant contribution to implementing the priorities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Initiatives of Tashkent are primarily aimed at achieving the statutory goals and tasks of the organization, the development of fruitful cooperation with the Member States, observer countries and dialogue partners.

Our country which is one of the founders of the organization, as the chairman intends to strictly abide by the principles of continuity, as well as the consistent advancement of mutually beneficial cooperation that meets the interests of all members of the structure. In particular, Uzbekistan was in favor of further strengthening the role of the SCO as an effective institution on withstanding such threats for global and regional security as terrorism, religious extremism, separatism, drug and weapons trafficking, transnational organized crime.

In strengthening practical cooperation in the fight with these challenges and threats for security, our country attaches great significance to further improve the activities of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO, established in 2004 in Tashkent to coordinate the collaboration of Member States in this direction.

Uzbekistan also supports the preservation of the chosen course of the SCO according to which its activities are not directed against the interests of other countries, and this is enshrined in the Charter and other founding documents of the organization. Stressing the importance of elimination of bloc thinking and prevent transformation of the SCO into a military-political alliance the President of our country Islam Karimov also said about it on the Ufa summit in 2015. President of Uzbekistan also specifically noted the need for further strengthening the commitment to the main principles and goals.

States members have economic potential and necessary experience, resources, and most importantly - the political will for the practical implementation of cross-border infrastructural, high-tech and social programs, the implementation of which will give a powerful impetus to the advancement of all countries in the region.

In this regard, Uzbekistan has a special place in the economic component of the SCO activities, supports the intensification of contacts for the development and implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects, forming the relevant financial instruments for these purposes, including the Development Bank of the SCO. Creating multilateral funding mechanisms for priority socio-economic and infrastructure programs within the organization will allow to solve common tasks more efficiently.

In the context of the ongoing global financial-economic crisis and the slow recovery of global markets, strengthening mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, building contacts within the special mechanisms of the SCO and the use of their potential to enhance economic co-operation become the most important tasks of our country during the presidency. In particular, within the framework of realization of the objectives in this area a meeting of the Business Council and a number of activities of the SCO Interbank Association will be conducted in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan is in favor of the implementation of the investment programs in the SCO space on establishment and modernization of road and rail communications, as well as air traffic with bоth domestic and cross-border significance. On this point, the most important strategic direction is the development and implementation of such routes that would link Central Asia and China with the European and world markets, thereby creating favorable conditions for the further development of social and industrial infrastructure of the SCO and ensuring the large-scale foreign investment inflow into the region.

Moreover, in consideration of large labor-intensiveness the construction of roads, railways and logistics centers related with them can be a powerful source of employment and income for local people. The comprehensive solution of all these issues can be turned into one of the main components of progress and sustanablity of socio-economic development of the region.

It should be noted that Uzbekistan considers it important to more active use of the resources and markets of the SCO observer countries, which may contribute to the strengthening of mutually beneficial trade and business cooperation, and to the sustained socio-economic progress.

On the basis of the aforementioned, it can be said with full confidence that the upcoming 15th Tashkent jubilee summit of the SCO will open a new page in the history of the organization, contributing to the further strengthening of multilateral cooperation in the name of preserving peace and stability in the region, ensuring the prosperity of the member-countries.

Information Agency Jahon