Moscow, May 29: The leaders of Russia, China and four central Asian nations gave new muscle to their regional security organisation at its annual summit meeting today, hailing the six-nation group as a pillar of global stability. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO, would focus on confronting terrorism, separatism and extremism- problems that have threatened all of its members. Putting an end to cross-border drug-trafficking was also high on the agenda.
``I'm sure that our decisions will serve the interests of peace and security on the vast Eurasian continent,'' Putin said.
Chinese president Hu Jintao welcomed the SCO as ``a new model of regional cooperation for the benefit of peace and development.''
The security group was formed in Shanghai in 1996 with the task increasing stability along China's border with the former Soviet Union.
It later evolved into a forum to encourage multilateral cooperation, particularly on security and economic issues.
But its birth has been a slow process, and today's summit was dominated once again with organisational tasks, such as appointing an executive secretary to be based in Beijing and formally adopting an emblem and flag.
Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev said the six nations had agreed to name the Chinese ambassador to Russia, Zhang Deguang, to the organisation's top post.
Russia and China have dominated the group, which also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Turkmenistan with its strict neutrality policy is the only central Asian republic to stay out of the organisation.
Bureau Report