ALMATY, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a reputable, influential and appealing organization that has reduced transnational crimes and made people feel safe, a Kazakh professor has said.
Regional organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hope to enhance cooperation with the SCO, Seylbek Musataev, a professor from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, said in an interview with Xinhua.
He said countries such as Belarus, Sri Lanka and South Korea also expect to hold dialogue with the SCO, which currently groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Since the SCO was established 15 years ago, the organization has advocated and put into practice the pioneering Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.
Devoted to establishing a democratic and just new international economic order, the SCO has actively combated extremism, separatism and terrorism, and has deepened cooperation in politics, economy, national defense, energy and transportation, Musataev said.
The SCO has also carried out many cooperative projects to ensure human rights, combat transnational crimes such as illegal migration and drug and arms trafficking, he said.
Besides its effective work in fighting transnational crimes, investment from SCO member states has also created a great number of joint ventures providing new jobs, the expert said.
Mustaev stressed the importance of economic cooperation among the SCO member states, using the Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes to illustrate his point.
"Building the Silk Road Economic Belt has exerted positive influence on the economic development of countries along the belt," he said.
In Kazakhstan, Mustaev said, transportation infrastructure has improved with new schools, hospitals and shopping malls established near the traffic lines.
"Kazakhstan's particular geopolitical environment determines that joining the SCO conforms to its national interest, which helps fight extremism and terrorism," he said.
The SCO should actively develop and upgrade cooperation with other regional and international organizations, Mustaev said, adding that China, as an important driving force of the organization, has made unremitting efforts to push forward the SCO's development.
