DUSHANBE, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become an important player in regional and world politics and is influencing the global peace positively, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov said on the eve of an upcoming summit of SCO heads of state to be held in Shanghai.

    Rakhmonov said the five-year history of the SCO has fully demonstrated the importance and indispensability of the organization, which, to some extent, is a response from the countries in the region to the change of the world situation.

    The SCO, set up in Shanghai in 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India were absorbed as SCO observers in 2004.

    Rakhmonov said the establishment of the organization, as described in its founding declaration, conforms to the development trend of today's world, the reality of the region, as well as the fundamental interests of the peoples of all the member countries.

    With its working agenda covering short-term and long-term interests of every member country, the SCO has created a new mechanism for international cooperation to tackle challenges and deepen political, economic and cultural exchanges, he said.

    Since its establishment, the SCO has expanded its missions and given top priority to maintaining regional security and stability and to create favorable conditions for sustainable development, he said.

    The SCO member countries have signed a series of documents that lay a solid legal basis for fighting terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug smuggling and organized crime. This has been strengthened by joint efforts of the member countries and the SCO's anti-terror institution has played an important role of coordination, he added.

    Since Tajikistan has a 1,300-km common border with Afghanistan and has become a conduit for Afghan drugs to flow into Europe, Rakhmonov also proposed the establishment of a unified center within the SCO framework to combat drug smuggling. Enditem