¡¡¡¡SHANGHAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Five years after its birth, the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) has outlined a new norm of international
relations aiming at ensuring the equal rights for all countries worldwide.
¡¡¡¡The new norm, proposed in the form of a new global security architecture,
is centered on the "Shanghai Spirit" featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit,
equality, consultation, respect for multi-civilizations and pursuit of common
development.
¡¡¡¡The norm is of critical importance to the international community's pursuit
of a new and non-confrontational model of international relations, a model that
calls for discarding the Cold War mentality and transcending ideological
differences, said a SCO declaration signed at Thursday's annual summit meeting.
¡¡¡¡The new concept enriches the theory and practice of contemporary
international relations and embodies the shared aspiration of the international
community for the democratization in international relations.
¡¡¡¡The proposed norm of international relations and global security
architecture is based on the widely recognized principles of international law.
It discards "double standards" and demands respect of the diversity of
civilization and models of development. ¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡It opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs, using the
excuse of the differences in cultural traditions, political and social systems,
values and model of development formed in the course of history.
¡¡¡¡Established in June 2001, the regional organization comprises China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Its member states
take up 60 percent of Euroasia and a quarter of the world's population.
¡¡¡¡Security remained in prior agenda for the SCO members. Of the 10 documents
signed by the heads of state of the six SCO members Thursday, four are about
security cooperation, including an anti-terrorism resolution for 2007-2009
period, an agreement on joint anti-terrorism actions among member countries, and
an agreement on cutting off the infiltration channels of terrorists, separatists
and extremists.
¡¡¡¡The six SCO members also vowed to enhance international information
security and eliminate possible dangers of using information and communication
technologies for criminal or terrorist purposes -- a move indicating the SCO's
security cooperation has gone far beyond regional disarmament and border issues
to tackle conventional as well as unconventional threats and challenges facing
the whole humanity.
¡¡¡¡Despite its readiness to carry out international cooperation, the SCO holds
it is the right and responsibility of the countries in the region themselves to
decide what specific means and mechanism should be taken to safeguard their
security.
¡¡¡¡The six member states also vowed to safeguard each other's sovereignty,
security and territorial integrity and in case of emergencies that threaten
regional peace, stability and security, they will have immediate consultations
and respond effective to protect the interests of both SCO and its member
states.
¡¡¡¡They have sought to maintain security and harmony in Euroasia and the
entire world through all-round cooperation and exchanges in trade, economic and
cultural sectors.
¡¡¡¡"Terrorism sometimes originates from poverty," said Zhao Changqing, a
researcher with the SCO research center of the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences. "Trade and economic cooperation within the SCO framework will enhance
regional security and eventually benefit the people in these countries."
¡¡¡¡The Euroasia boasts diversity in cultural traditions and religious,
including Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Orthodox. Enhanced cultural and humanistic
cooperation among the SCO members have provided a platform for dialogues among
peoples of different ethnic groups, and make different cultures boom in peaceful
context instead of conflicts.
¡¡¡¡The new norm of international relations is timely, constructive as well as
feasible and will help strengthen security, peace and harmony in Euroasia and
the world at large, said Sun Zhuangzhi, secretary-general of the SCO research
center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Enditem