Meeting with the General Secretary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
On November 2, 2018 at Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies was organized a meeting with the doctor of political sciences R.K. Alimov, the General Secretary of the SCO. During this meeting, R.K.Alimov made a speech about the effective activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as about the results of the International Conference of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure of the SCO “Combating Terrorism – Cooperation without Borders” held yesterday in Tashkent.
Assessing the modern system of international relations, R.K. Alimov noted that at present there is a tendency towards various forms of regional integration, one example of which is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which has been operating since 2001 as an independent center of power.
The main goals of the SCO include: strengthening mutual trust and good neighborliness among the member countries; promoting their effective cooperation in the political, trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural fields, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection and others; joint provision and maintenance of peace, security and stability in the region; advancement towards the creation of a democratic, just and rational new international political and economic order.
As noted R.K. Alimov, today there are three stages of the process of joining the SCO: dialogue partnership, observer status and full membership in this organization. Thus, at present: eight countries are SCO member states (Republic of Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of India, Islamic Republic of Pakistan); four countries have the status of an observer state at the SCO (Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Belarus, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Mongolia); six countries are partners in the SCO dialogue (the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the Republic of Turkey, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka). From the above it follows that the interest of the world community in a young and promising organization is steadily increasing. In his speech, R.Alimov emphasized that the organization covers more than 60% of the territory of the Eurasian continent and almost half of the population of our planet.
He emphasized that the past two years, 44 initiatives for the development and strengthening of the organization had come from Uzbekistan. This confirms that the Republic of Uzbekistan actively supports close regional integration within the framework of the SCO.
Regarding the results of the International Conference of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO “Combating Terrorism – Cooperation without Borders”, R.K. Alimov stressed the importance of joint and coordinated anti-terrorism efforts, and also noted that the RATS was able to create a popular platform for annual meetings and exchange of views between the competent authorities of the SCO countries and interested partners.
In conclusion of his speech, R.K.Alimov, speaking about the prospects of the organization, stressed that it is called upon to work for the prosperity and for the happy life of the people of the SCO member states.
at the end of the meeting, teachers and students of Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies actively asked questions regarding further plans and activities of the SCO to strengthen international positions and R.K.Alimov responding to them, stressed that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is aimed at interaction, good-neighborliness, cooperation, mutual respect, confidential dialogue and constructive partnership between the participating countries.