BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has always been an open organization that is not exclusive and targets no third party, Chinese President Hu Jintao said in Beijing on Tuesday.

    Following the principle of openness and nonalignment, the SCO has advocated a new security concept featuring mutual trust and benefit, equality and cooperation, and adhered to the "Shanghai Spirit," said Hu.

    The "Shanghai Spirit" embodies mutual trust and benefit, equality, respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development, Hu told journalists from the six SCO member states.

    The organization, established in 2001, comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since 2004, it has accepted Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India as observers.

    A summit meeting of the heads of the six SCO member states will be held on June 15 in Shanghai. Observers as well as representatives from the countries and international organizations that have established cooperative relations with the SCO will attend.

    Hu said the SCO had official ties with the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community.

    "A growing number of countries have expressed the desire to establish ties with the organization," he said.

    "Experience has shown that the SCO is an important force in safeguarding regional and world peace and stability, enhancing democratization of international relations and promoting regional and world harmony," said Hu.

    "The SCO will continue to take a constructive attitude to seek consensus among the members and work with related countries to maintain regional peace and stability and promote the common development and prosperity of all countries in the region," said Hu.    

    Chinese president praises SCO joint anti-terrorism exercises

    Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday hailed the joint anti-terrorism exercises conducted by Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, saying they will strengthen the capability to combat terrorism and maintain regional peace.

    In a joint interview with media representatives from the six member states, Hu said cross-border drugs crime remained one of the major problems facing the SCO.

    Member states had signed a cooperation agreement against the trafficking of narcotics in June 2004. The SCO had also assisted the Afghan government's anti-drugs campaign and set up a liaison group with Afghanistan last year.

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai had been invited to the upcoming SCO summit. Hu believes it will help promote the control of illegal drugs in the region.

    "It is the original intention as well as the key mission of the SCO to jointly maintain peace, security and stability in the region," he said.

    On the day the SCO was founded, the six heads of state signed the Shanghai Pact on fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism, Hu said. A regional anti-terror center was launched in Tashkent during the SCO summit in 2004.

    "The SCO is one of the earliest international organizations to hold up the banner of fighting against terrorism, and has played an important role in coordinating anti-terrorism cooperation among member states," he said.

    The SCO had held three joint anti-terrorism exercises, Hu said, adding member states had cooperated in information exchanges and judicatory assistance.

    Next year, SCO member states will hold a joint anti-terrorism exercise in Russia. "All these measures have produced and will continue to exert an active influence in enhancing the capability to combat terrorism and maintaining regional peace and stability," Hu said.

    Established in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Since 2004, the SCO has accepted Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India as observers.

    Heads of states of the six SCO member countries as well as the observers will attend the upcoming summit scheduled on June 15 in Shanghai, on China's eastern coast.