Shanghai Cooperation Organization leaders adopt Bishkek declaration

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders at their summit have adopted the Bishkek Declaration. This document reflects the main approaches to the further development of practical cooperation between the SCO member states, as well as fixes the common desire to expand and deepen cooperation. In addition to the Declaration, the leaders have also approved the Action Plan for 2013-2017 on the implementation of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the SCO member states, as well as reports of the organization’s secretary general on last year’s activities and the Council of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure on 2012 activities. At the meeting the SCO leaders have also approved an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation between the governments of the SCO member countries. Iranian nuclear issue "The SCO member states express concern over the situation around Iran and its nuclear program. They believe threats of use of military force and unilateral sanction measures of some states against the country are unacceptable," the document said. Confrontation scenario is fraught with serious and unpredictable consequences for the entire region and the world and security on the whole. SCO states believe there is no alternative to peaceful resolution of the problem and call on all countries to have a maximum responsible approach and restraint and not to make statements and not to take actions leading to further confrontation escalation. It is possible to relieve all the anxieties only by peaceful means on the basis of principles of gradualness and reciprocity, the SCO leaders noted in the declaration. Middle East and North Africa SCO member states are in favour of peace and stability in the Middle East and North Africa without external influece, including military intervention, not sanctioned by the UN Security Council. “The SCO member states express deep concern over the developments in the Middle East and North Africa, and in Syria, particular, and come out in favour of peace, stability, prosperity and progress in the region without external, including military intervention, not authorised by the UN Security Council,” the Declaration says. The document stresses that the SCO member counties support the earliest solution to the Syrian crisis by the Syrians themselves with respect for the republic’s sovereignty, ceszation of violence in the country, the launch of a broad political dialogue between the authorities and the opposition without preconditions on the basis of the Geneva communiqu·. The SCO member states also support the efforts to convene an international conference to lay the foundation for reconciliation and normalization of the situation in Syria and against unlawful actions aimed at further militarization of the internal conflict in the country.