[Title] Yekaterinburg Declaration by the Heads of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Based on the outcome of the Council of Heads of State meeting held on June 15-16 June, 2009 in Yekaterinburg, the heads of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization state the following:

1. Today, the international situation is undergoing serious changes. Aspiration for peace and sustainable development and promotion of equal cooperation are dictated by the spirit of our times. The tendency towards genuine multipolarity has become irreversible. The role of the regional aspect in the settlement of global problems is on the rise.

Reaffirming their commitment to collective development on the basis of the principles and provisions of the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Treaty on LongTerm Good-Neighborly Relations, Friendship and Cooperation among the SCO Member States, the SCO member states consider, as a priority, the tasks of maintaining constructive dialogue and deepening close cooperation and partnership to jointly seek effective ways of resolving global and regional problems, tapping the SCO growing potential and international prestige.

2. The SCO member states believe that international cooperation is a basic and efficient instrument for addressing new challenges and threats, coping with the global financial crisis, ensuring energy and food security and solving such a pressing issue as climate change.

3. The current situation in the global economic and financial sector points to the need to increase cooperation of the international community in the areas of control and management of international finances, prevention, through joint efforts, of growth and spread of financial crisis risks and maintenance of economic stability.

The member states of the Organization, jointly with the international community intend to make efforts to establish a more just, equal, all-embracing, well-regulated and balanced international financial regime responsive to the interests of all its participants and providing all states with an equal access to the globalization benefits.

To this end, collaboration and information sharing should be strengthened in the international financial sector and on the issues related to tackling the impacts of the global financial crisis in the SCO region.

4. In current circumstances, the SCO member states underline the growing significance of bolstering trade, economic and investment cooperation in the framework of the Organization, inter alia, through tapping the potential of observer states and dialogue partners.

The meeting noted the need to accelerate the implementation of large projects designed to ensure expansion of transport potential of the region and access to world markets, development of social infrastructure, erection of modern international centers for logistics, trade and tourism, construction of new factories, introduction of innovative and energy-saving technologies, including renewable energy.

Implementation of these projects, arrangement of international transport corridors, modernization of railways and motorways will create preconditions for strengthening the potential of the region as a transcontinental bridge, providing an impetus to the development of economic links between Europe and Asia.

5. Noting the key role of energy sector in the successful economic development and creation of favorable preconditions for improving the living standards of their citizens, the SCO member states state their resolve to further advance mutually beneficial cooperation in this field on the basis of equality with the aim of ensuring effective, reliable and environmentally safe energy supplies.

6. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization holds that there is a need to further strengthen the legal foundations of international relations described by generally accepted principles and norms of international law and the international obligations of states.

The urgent task is to strengthen the United Nations central coordinating role in international affairs and enhance its mechanisms to ensure an adequate response to the challenges that change political and economic realities. The UN Security Council reform should be based on the broadest possible consensus of the international community.

The SCO member states intend to strengthen coordination on the issues related to the reforms of the UN and its Security Council.

7. The SCO member states stress the importance of the problem of international information security as one of the key elements of the overall system of international security.

8. Reaffirming their commitment to the dialogue of civilizations, values of peace, tolerance, mutual respect and harmony in relations between different nations and confessions, regardless of ethnic origin, religious or other beliefs, the SCO member states believe that the struggle against international terrorism should not be confused with an opposition to any religion.

9. Maintenance of international peace is possible only in conditions of equal security for all states without exception. The security of some countries should not be achieved at the expense of the security of others.

International and regional conflicts should be resolved only through political and diplomatic means on the basis of equality and mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.

Attempts to achieve unilateral advantages in the defense area are counterproductive and undermine strategic balance and stability in the world and are not conducive to confidencebuilding, arms reduction and disarmament.

10. The SCO member states note that proliferation of nuclear weapons poses a grave threat to international peace and security.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is at the cornerstone of the international architecture designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The threats of nuclear proliferation can and must be addressed on the basis of the NPT, provided that all the parties unconditionally meet their commitments. The SCO member states reaffirm their strong support to the NPT and welcome multilateral efforts to strengthen it. They are resolved to move towards greater efficiency of the Treaty based on the unity of its three fundamental elements: non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The SCO member states reiterate their intention to contribute to further implementation of the Global Initiative of Russia and US on combating acts of nuclear terrorism and welcome the entry into force, on March 21, 2009, of the Treaty on Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.

11. The SCO member states welcome the start of the Russia-US negotiations on the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions.

12. The SCO member states argue in favor of the resumption of negotiations on the denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula. They call for restraint and continued search for mutually acceptable solutions on the basis of earlier agreements.

13. The SCO member states express grave concern over the complex situation in Afghanistan related to such common for the international community threats as illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, and transnational organized crime.

In this regard, it has been considered necessary to intensify cooperation with the SCO observer states, Afghanistan and other countries concerned, as well as regional and international organizations, primarily the UN and its specialized agencies.

The SCO member states aim at creating in the region, in close cooperation with other interested countries and international organizations, the belts of anti-drug and financial security.

14. The SCO member states welcome the cessation of the internal armed conflict in Sri Lanka and express the hope for a lasting peace, security and stability in that country on the basis of ensuring its state sovereignty and territorial integrity and safeguarding the rights of all ethnic and religious groups.

15. The SCO member states consider improved efficiency of cooperation in timely and joint response to natural and man-made emergencies and implementation of a set of mitigating measures to address their impact on the socio-economic environment, as one of priorities.

16. The SCO member states attach great importance to strengthening cooperation in addressing the threat of dangerous infections and other communicable diseases. To this end, the meeting has recognized the need to mobilize available resources and launch joint work on preventing the spread of epidemics.

17. The SCO member states have concluded that the Organization became an important element of the emerging architecture of security and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Noting with satisfaction the growing interest of the international community to establish ties with the SCO, they welcomed joining by the Republic of Belarus and by the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of the SCO cooperation as dialogue partners.

The SCO member states express their willingness to expand practical cooperation with the United Nations, Commonwealth of Independent States, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Eurasian Economic Community, Collective Security Treaty Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and other international and regional organizations and create a wide partnership network on this basis.

The SCO member states are open to a dialogue that aims to bring states closer together and promote a more equitable world order, strengthened global stability and economic development.