DUSHANBE, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Tajikistan is confident of safeguarding the security of an upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Tajik Foreign Minister Khamrokhon Zarifi said Wednesday.

    By order of President Emomali Rakhmon, the Tajik government will strengthen coordination with other SCO members to ensure a secure meeting of the organization's Council of Heads of State, slated for Aug. 28 in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, Zarifi said in an interview with Chinese media.

    He said that during the summit, Tajikistan, the current holder of the SCO presidency, will temporarily close part of its borders and tighten entry checks.

    On the SCO's development, Zarifi said the SCO, as a big regional organization in the world that boasts rich natural resources, has broad prospects in economic cooperation.

    In addition, he said, SCO members have also cooperated in fighting the "three evil forces," namely terrorism, separatism and extremism, and drug trafficking, which is of great significance in safeguarding peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

    The foreign minister said Tajikistan, which pursues an open, pluralistic foreign policy, will develop friendly relations with all countries, especially its neighbors.

    China is a major partner of Tajikistan in economic cooperation, he said, adding that the two countries have a great potential for cooperation in such fields as communications, electric power and hydroenergy exploitation.

    The SCO, founded in 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.