The presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, in their statements at a news conference following a ceremony of signing a treaty on friendship and cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek on 16 August, hailed the summit and highlighted the importance of the treaty for the organization. The following is an excerpt from Kyrgyz TV’s live broadcast of the Bishkek summit on 16 August; subheadings inserted editorially:

[Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev in Russian] Esteemed representatives of the media. We all have just become witnesses of a historic moment, that is the completion of a ceremony of signing a treaty, which is of very great importance for our organization - "Treaty on long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states", and a number of other important documents. Thus, another very important step was taken today aimed at further reinforcing cooperation within the framework of our organization. And now let me briefly inform you about the main results of the event which has taken place.

The heads of state of all Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] member states took part in the summit, including high-ranking representatives from observer countries - the presidents of Iran and Mongolia, the minister of foreign affairs of Pakistan and the Indian minister of petroleum and natural gas. We were also glad to see the presidents of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and the UN undersecretary-general as honoured guests. Besides this, the SCO secretary-general and director of the executive council of the regional antiterror group of the SCO also attended the summit.

During our joint work we discussed in detail the results of the organization’s activities for the period following the previous summit in Shanghai. We have adopted decisions on further developing relations within the framework of the SCO in many fields. We have had a profound exchange of views on the situation in the world and in the region. I think that we have worked exclusively fruitfully. We adopted very important documents today. As I said earlier, the "Treaty on long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states" became the significant document of the Bishkek SCO summit. This document legally cements the existing trusting, friendly and partnership nature of mutual relations within the SCO. We have also signed a Bishkek declaration and approved a plan of action of the SCO member states on ensuring international information security. One of the main points stressed during the summit was aspiration and readiness to take our trade and economic relations to the same high level as the one that now exists in the political and other fields.

The heads of the SCO member states were unanimous to state that economic cooperation within the framework of the SCO is entering the phase of practical implementation of the relevant plans and agreements, as well as mutually beneficial projects with multi-faceted participation in fields such as energy, transport, telecommunications and others. We think that an important role during this process is assigned to the SCO business council and interbank association, the chairmen of which today signed an agreement on cooperation between these agencies of the SCO.

Besides this, the [SCO] ministers of culture have signed agreements between the governments of the SCO member states on cooperation in the field of culture.

The heads of state also positively spoke about the development of international contacts of the organization. They have stressed the importance of intensifying further practical cooperation in various fields with observer countries. The results of today’s summit once again demonstrate that our aim is to build active and constructive cooperation, to further consolidate the sides’ means and efforts to strengthen close cooperation in order to ensure regional stability and security. Our adherence to the principles of good-neighbourliness, friendship and mutual trust will serve as a firm foundation for this.

It has been decided to hold the next session of the heads of state of the SCO member states in Dushanbe in 2008, and in 2009 in Yekaterinburg of the Russian Federation.

Thus, as of today, the Kyrgyz side passes on the baton of chairmanship of the organization to the Republic of Tajikistan. I believe that the SCO, under the chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan, will further develop in all fields, with its multi-faceted activities [contributing] to the welfare and prosperity of our countries.

In conclusion, I would like once again to thank my colleagues, the heads of state, for the joint and fruitful work, and you, journalists, for your attention and objective reporting on the Bishkek SCO summit.

Respected colleagues, I propose that we should maintain traditions and give the floor to the heads of state in the Russian alphabetical order. The floor is given to the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Abishevich [Nazarbayev].

Nazarbayev

[Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in Russian] Respected representatives of the media, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we held another meeting in the capital of Kyrgyzstan to discuss topical issues on prospects for developing the SCO. We have had a fruitful discussion as a result of which we have brought our positions closer on key issues of the SCO’s activities. It is pleasant that the speeches of all the heads of state have shown the similarity and closeness of their views. The common position of the heads of state of the SCO have been fixed in the summit’s declaration, in the final joint communiqu. I hope you will get a copy of it.

I would like to stress separately the historic significance of the "Treaty on long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states". The signing of this document significantly improves the legal basis of the Shanghai process and marks the completion of the institutional formation of the organization. It is kind of a road map on all issues which we are going to resolve.

The treaty is a universal statutory document like a charter. It includes mutual cooperation including joint measures to fight terrorism, and economic, cultural, humanitarian, ecological and other forms of cooperation.

The issues of reinforcing regional security, fighting transnational challenges and threats were in the centre of attention. Kazakhstan calls for wider cooperation between our states’ law-enforcement agencies and security services in fighting terrorism.

We are in favour of further strengthening the legal basis of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure of the SCO and initiating contracts between the structure and other international organizations that deal with similar problems in the region.

We have signed an action plan of the SCO member countries to ensure international information security. The implementation of the plan will become a serious contribution of the SCO to the international community’s efforts in the joint struggle against cyber-terrorism.

To bring our countries closer, which are bonded by historical ties of good-neighbourliness, common traditions and culture, it is vitally important to have a framework agreement on cooperation in culture.

Kazakhstan proposed setting up centres for studying the culture and languages of our [SCO] countries within the framework of the SCO, at national research centres existing in every country.

The heads of state emphasized the importance of preserving political stability and stable economic growth on the territory of the SCO as inseparable elements of success in regional cooperation. We believe that the development of broad cooperation includes implementation of major joint investment projects, including in the fuel and energy sector, transport and transit. We have favourable conditions for this.

A multi-vector system of pipelines going through Russia and China is being formed in Central Asia. Along with Russia and China, Kazakhstan - being a major producer and carrier of energy resources - is interested in setting up a single energy infrastructure within the SCO. We believe that a solution to this problem will promote setting up an energy club of the SCO, which will become a starting point along our path towards adopting an Asian energy strategy of the SCO. Its project was recently presented by Kazakhstan to all SCO member countries for studying. The idea about the strategy was presented by me at the SCO summit in Shanghai last year.

In the future, observer countries may join the energy cooperation.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the main summary of the summit is that, in the process of development of the SCO, understanding of the tasks of expanding our partnership has been reached. This is evidence that there is a higher level of cooperation between our countries now.

Thank you for your attention.

[Passage omitted: statements by the Chinese and Russian presidents]

Rahmon

[Tajik President Emomali Rahmon] Dear representatives of the media.

A firm step has been taken today in terms of laying firm foundations for future cooperation between SCO member countries. I mean the signing of the treaty on long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation is a historic event in the life of our young and dynamically-developing organization.

We have considered the results of the work done over the year after the jubilee SCO summit and noted positive points with regard to the growing prestige of the SCO and noted that the work of the organization’s structures in putting forward new initiatives that are aimed at improving cooperation in various fields, was more efficient. Here I would like to note our aspiration to a broad involvement of observer countries in SCO activities that are directed at rendering harmless global challenges and threats, as well as in the implementation of economic projects. This step should definitely promote more dynamic development of sub-regional cooperation, strengthen the potential of the SCO and offer new opportunities.

In the context of problems of an economic nature, Tajikistan has suggested setting up a special foundation for developing the SCO to use the investment potential of the most economically-developed member countries in the implementation of projects and programmes that are aimed at supporting other members of the organization to equalize levels of economic development.

We have also discussed key international and regional problems. The similarity of our views has been reflected in the final document of the summit. A decision has been taken to hold the next summit in Dushanbe next year. Tajikistan takes the [rotating] chairmanship of the SCO during this period. I hope that this most significant event [next SCO summit] will also be a success, and will outline new guidelines for future cooperation within the framework of the organization.

Thank you for your attention.

[Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev] Thank you, Emomali Rahmon.

The floor is given to Uzbek President Islom Abduganiyevich Karimov.

Karimov

[Uzbek President Islom Karimov] I support views made by President Bakiyev and my other colleagues on the work of the SCO summit in Bishkek.

For my part, I would like to add that [changes tack]... In my view, six years of the SCO’s functioning has become, to a certain degree, a period of organization to bring the SCO into being and creating a rather big and firm legal basis. I think that huge work has been done in this respect, and that the foundations have started working.

But, in my view, the most important thing at the next stage of SCO activities is implementation of all the documents adopted over the past six years, including documents adopted today. Now less should spoken about potential opportunities and more should be spoken about the effectiveness and productivity of the SCO and its influence on processes taking place in Central Asia and those areas which are zones of responsibility of the SCO.

Thank you.