Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

The Kyrgyz capital Bishkek hosted the 13th meeting of the council of the heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states on September 13.

The summit's agenda included issues of regional security after 2014, the situation in Syria and the establishment of a SCO fund and bank.

Addressing the event, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev said that an international conference on the rehabilitation of Afghanistan will be held in Bishkek on October 10.

According to him, the organization should pay special attention to the unfolding of the situation in Afghanistan and contribute to the post-war country's rehabilitation.

He invited international experts and representatives of SCO member states to participate in the international conference.

Atambayev went on to say that ensuring regional security is impossible without the implementation of economic projects, for the financing of which a bank and a fund for SCO development should be established.

He stressed that it is important to intensify the implementation of a roadmap on the SCO economic projects development for 2012-2016.

Atambayev also said Kyrgyzstan places an emphasis on the development of automobile and railway infrastructure as well as the liberalization of transit to gain access to the sea.

He urged SCO counterparts to boost cargo transit by all types of transport.

Touching on the crisis in Syria, Atambayev said that the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and North Africa and in particular Syria is a concern for Kyrgyzstan.

"The situation in our region as well as in the world as a whole remains complicated. The development of the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and in particular in Syria is of concern," he said.

According to Atambayev, Kyrgyzstan is concerned about the large number of casualties, the humanitarian disaster and deterioration of the political situation in Syria.

"We call for a peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict through negotiations and dialogue," Atambayev stated.

Water problem in Central Asia

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in his remarks at the event, said that the SCO countries should strike a consensus on the water problem of Central Asia.

According to Nazarbayev, the SCO should become a platform for an open dialog on this issue.

Nazarbayev said possibilities for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Syria have not yet been exhausted.

"Kazakhstan expresses its utmost concern over the reports on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. I am convinced that not all the possibilities of a peaceful resolution of the situation in Syria have been exhausted," he said.

Nazarbayev supported the Russian president's proposal to put Syrian chemical weapons under international control.

"I think this problem may be solved by peaceful means and the whole world will benefit from such a solution," he said.

Nazarbayev also said that the problems in Afghanistan following withdrawal of the coalition troops in 2014 should be resolved by the Afghan people.

Nuclear disarmament

Speaking at the event, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that international nuclear disarmament is necessary.

"We adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and underline the right of all countries to the peaceful use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment," Rouhani said.

He went on to say that most of the UN member countries consider unacceptable the use of "unjustified and politically motivated" sanctions by Western countries against Iran.

"Unfortunately, some world countries still are unable to exit this vicious circle of old colonial notions, and continue to talk with other people in the language of force. Having political will and realizing the rights of the Iranian people, the peaceful character of Iran's nuclear program can be guaranteed. This guarantee can be reached by strengthening mutual trust," Rouhani said.

Furthermore, the Iranian president said that extremists having access to chemical weapons would be the most dangerous situation for the future of the region.

"Iran, as the biggest victim of chemical weapons, stands for destroying all chemical weapons in the world," Rouhani said, apparently referring to the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, during which Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran.

Afghanistan after withdrawal of int'l coalition

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said at the event that the SCO will help Afghanistan overcome terrorism and extremism problems.

"We understand that the entire global community is concerned about the state of our country after the withdrawal of the international coalition. We will prevent violence and strengthen national security. Afghanistan will be able to solve this problem together with the SCO countries," the Afghan president said.

During the event the presidents of the SCO member countries signed several final documents.
In particular, the presidents of China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Russia signed the Bishkek Declaration and approved the action plan for 2013-2017 on the implementation of the treaty on long-term good-neighborhood relations, friendship and cooperation.

The next meeting of the Council of Heads of the SCO Member States will be held in Tajikistan in 2014.

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and military organization which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Iran, along with India, Pakistan and Mongolia, has the "observer" status in the organization.