UNITED NATIONS, June 12 (Xinhua) -- UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan hailed the growing regional role of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) in a message to its six summit meeting.
In the message released Monday, Annan congratulated the 10th anniversary of the SCO, and wished the success of the
vital endeavors by the organization.
He said the organization has become an important
regional grouping, and plays a serious role in addressing issues of peace and
security in a part of Asia encompassing a large territory and a population of
nearly 1.5 billion people.
"SCO member states have demonstrated, in concrete
terms, their commitment to strengthening dialogue, cooperation and mutual
understanding, and have developed mechanisms and institutions to achieve these
objectives," he observed.
The secretary-general added that the SCO has also
expanded its scope of activities, welcome evidence of deepening ties between
member states and their confidence in the organization.
"Indeed, you are now active on many of the most
important issues of our times. You are trying to do more to safeguard the
environment, promote development, and ensure that people have opportunities to
compete fairly in the global trading regime," Annan noted.
He pointed out that SCO member states have made
efforts to combat the menace of terrorism, extremism, and separatism.
"These initiatives point to the increasing
interconnectedness of member states, and the enormous potential for mutual
benefit and growth through cooperation," he stressed.
On the cooperation between the SCO and the United
Nations, the secretary-general said the SCO has established close working
contacts with ESCAP, UNDP and other UN agencies, and now has observer status in
the General Assembly.
"The SCO also sent a senior representative to the
last year's high-level meeting between the UN and regional and other
intergovernmental organizations," he noted, hoping the SCO will be represented
at the seventh such meeting this year at the highest possible level.
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