[Title] DECLARATION By the Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Building a Region of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity
The heads of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter referred to as the SCO or the Organization) held a meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Beijing on June 6 and 7, 2012.
The Heads of State note that, in the 21st century, the system of international relations has been undergoing complex transformations accompanied by the development of a multipolar world, stronger regional cooperation, globalization and growing interdependence of states, and increased role of information technologies.
The international community faces an urgent need to meet global challenges through effective and concerted action. The global economic situation remains complex and it is characterized by instability and uncertainty. The threat of recurrence of a large-scale financial and economic crisis, problems of terrorism, drug trafficking, transnational crime, development imbalances, food shortages, climate change, risks of WMD proliferation, of emerging regional and local conflicts still exist.
Reflecting the common aspirations of the peoples of its member States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization continues to work effectively to promote peace, cooperation and development. Practical implementation of the "Shanghai Spirit" principles - mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, respect for cultural diversity and desire for common development – was instrumental in developing an effective model of friendly and cooperative relations among states.
Through combined efforts of its member states, the Organization has become a guarantor of peace and sustainable development, ensuring security, stability and development in the region, firmly countering terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, and strengthening regional cooperation by fostering relations based on good- neighborliness and trust.
The member states engage in consistent efforts to enhance mutual trust in the military field in border areas and take the necessary measures to avoid border disputes and safeguard peace, tranquility and stability.
The member states will further strengthen cooperation within the SCO in order to bring it to the next level and transform the SCO into a region of lasting peace, friendship, prosperity and harmony.
To this end, the heads of state declare the following:
I
The member states call on the international community to ensure peaceful co-existence and dialogue between civilizations, seek understanding, promote shared sustainable development and respect for national traditions and cultural values, and strengthen relations between states on the basis of the universally recognized norms and principles of international law.
The member states will further develop and deepen their relations in strict compliance with the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Treaty on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation among SCO member States and other international instruments to which they are parties to.
The relations among the member states are based on mutual respect for state sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, independent choice of social system and development path, and non-interference in one another's internal affairs. The member states support one another in maintaining domestic stability and promoting economic growth.
The member states do not join any alliance or group of countries opposed to other member states and make every effort to address issues arising between the member states or between members and other countries through political and diplomatic means consistent with international law.
II
The member states share the view that it is necessary to promote a new approach to security in international relations based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation and create an indivisible security space with due regard of the interests of all states without exception.
The unilateral and unlimited build up of missile defense systems by one state or a group of states can undermine international security and strategic stability. The related issues should be resolved by all countries concerned through political and diplomatic efforts. The member states firmly believe that one country cannot pursue its own security at the expense of the security of other states.
The member states advocate building a world free of nuclear weapons and strictly comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The SCO calls upon all nuclear-weapon states to sign the relevant protocols to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia and take steps towards its actual establishment.
The member states are in favor of ensuring the security of outer space activities and the use of outer space for peaceful purposes and preventing the deployment of weapons in outer space. They support the development of a draft treaty prohibiting the deployment of weapons in outer space and the threat or use of force against outer space facilities and elaboration and introduction into the international practice of transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities.
The member states will encourage building a peaceful, secure, fair and open information space based on the principles of respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of others. They will oppose the use of information and communications technology for the purpose of undermining political, economic and social security of the member states and will prevent the use of the Internet to propagate terrorist, extremist or separatist ideologies.
III
The member states are of the view that regional issues should be addressed through consultations among the countries of the region and international organizations. The specific forms and mechanisms of cooperation in maintain regional security and stability should be defined by the countries of that region.
In the event of a situation threatening peace, stability and security of a SCO member state or the entire region, the member states take political and diplomatic measures to address the situation in a timely and appropriate manner, in accordance with the relevant documents of the Organization.
The member states will continue to step up bilateral and multilateral cooperation in joint struggle against terrorism, separatism and extremism, illicit trafficking in drugs and weapons and other transnational criminal activities, address illegal migration and meet new threats and challenges in other security areas.
The member states support the efforts aimed at making Afghanistan an independent, neutral, peaceful, prosperous nation free of terrorism and drug-related crime. They are of the view that the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. The member states support the central role of the United Nations in coordinating international efforts on the issue of Afghanistan and will assist the Afghan people with their national reconstruction efforts. To this end, the member states have decided to grant Afghanistan an observer status in SCO.
The member states express deep concern over the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and sincerely hope to see peace, stability, prosperity and progress in the region. They call on the international community to respect the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law, and the independent choice of the countries and peoples of the region, and work to ease regional tensions. The SCO member states are opposed to armed interventions in the affairs of the region, forced regime changes and unilateral sanctions.
The SCO member states underline that all forms of violence in the Syrian Arab Republic, whatever their source, must cease. They support broad-based domestic dialogue based on the respect for independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria. They welcome the political settlement measures approved by the United Nations Security Council and believe that a peaceful solution to the Syrian issue through political dialogue serves the common interests of the Syrian people and the international community.
The member states express deep concern over the developments surrounding the Islamic Republic of Iran, a SCO observer. They consider that any attempt to resolve the Iranian issue by force is unacceptable and will have unpredictable consequences threatening stability and security in the region and the entire world. They call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid statements or actions that might trigger further confrontation.
The member states believe that all countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental norms of international law and support strict implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. They welcome the launch of sustained dialogue between the "E3 + 3" group of countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed at finding a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations among the relevant parties. The member states expect the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a responsible member of the international community, to play an important role in maintaining peace and prosperity.
IV
The member States, governed by national priorities for social and economic development, intend to engage in consistent and mutually supportive efforts to enhance their economic potential through modernized and innovative growth and intensify experience sharing and business links.
The member states maintain that economic globalization should be conducive to balanced, mutually beneficial, fair, effective and non-discriminatory trade relations that benefit all countries.
The member states will further contribute to the international community's collective efforts to mitigate the impact of the global economic and financial crisis and achieve the sustainable growth of the world economy.
The member states will deepen and improve mutually beneficial regional economic cooperation, promote an enabling environment for trade and investment, and undertake large-scale joint investment projects, including by tapping into the potential of observer states and dialogue partners.
The member States agree on the need to promote further cooperation in border areas and neighboring regions in order to enhance contacts with the view of sharing the benefits of economic development.
The member states will make efforts to safeguard energy security in the SCO region.
The member states attach great importance to developing transport infrastructure that connects Asia with Europe, building appropriate international transport corridors and improving the efficiency of different modes of transport integration. They will continue to strengthen cooperation to accomplish these tasks.
In accordance with their national legislation and relevant international obligations, the member states shall protect the social and economic rights and interests of citizens of other member states residing within their borders.
V
The successful development of the SCO region requires world peace, security and stability, and consistent efforts to establish an equitable and democratic international order.
The United Nations should play a leading role in maintaining international peace and security, promoting common constructive development and enhancing mutually beneficial international cooperation. The SCO member states reaffirm their support for the United Nations reform aimed at improving its efficiency and strengthening its capacity for timely and effective response to challenges and threats.
The relevant states should continue consultations to seek a comprehensive solution to the issue of the United Nations Security Council reform that would take into account various interests and concerns and achieve the broadest possible consensus. In order to maintain unity among United Nations member states, neither artificial deadlines should be set for the negotiation process, nor drafts prematurely submitted for discussion including those that take a piecemeal approach to the negotiation process and currently do not enjoy the support of the overwhelming majority of member states.
The member states intend to devote attention to further developing friendly relations and productive cooperation with the SCO observer states and dialogue partners and with international and regional organizations that have signed the relevant documents with SCO. They will continue to engage in dialogue with other organizations and entities that share the SCO fundamental aims and principles.
The member states note with satisfaction the international community's increasing interest in establishing relations with SCO and welcome the participation of the Republic of Turkey in cooperation within the SCO as a dialogue partner.
VI
The member states emphasize that SCO, guided by the "Shanghai spirit" and as an important subject and constructive force in international relations, has become a model of inter-state and regional cooperation in the 21st century.
The member states, building on the friendship, partnership and harmony in the region, will continue to strengthen peace, justice and democracy, lay the foundations for the polycentric world and promote progress and prosperity for all states and for mankind as a whole.
June 7, 2012, Beijing