[Title] PRESS RELEASE Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

A meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter referred to as the SCO or the Organization) was held on September 13, 2013 in Bishkek. It was attended by President N. Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairman Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, President A. Atambaev of the Kyrgyz Republic, President V. Putin of the Russian Federation, President E. Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan, President I. Karimov of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The meeting was chaired by President A. Atambaev of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The SCO Secretary General D. Mezentsev and Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) of the SCO Zhang Sinfen participated in the meeting.

The meeting was attended and addressed by the heads of delegations of the SCO observer states: President H. Karzai of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India S.Hurshid, President H. Ruhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Ts. Elbegdorzh of Mongolia, advisor to the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic Pakistan on national security and foreign affairs S. Aziz.

Also present were the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General - Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan J. Kubis, Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States S. Lebedev, Deputy Secretary General of the Eurasian Economic Community A. Diyansky, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization N. Bordyuzha.

The parties had an in-depth exchange of views on relevant international and regional issues, as well as prospects of ther SCO further development.

It has been noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an optimal platform for constructive dialogue and joint search for effective ways to solve global and regional problems.

Bishkek Declaration adopted by the meeting of the Council of Heads of States fully reflects the main approaches to further development of practical cooperation and common desire to make best efforts to broaden and deepen multilateral cooperation.

During the previous period the following meeting were held: the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO member states (December 5, 2012 in Bishkek), meeting of ministers responsible for external economic and trade relations (November 13, 2012 in Bishkek), meeting of agriculture ministers (November 30, 2012 in Astana), meeting of chairmen of supreme courts (February 20-22, 2013 in Moscow), meeting of the SCO Forum (April 17-18, 2013 in Beijing), meeting of secretaries of security councils (April 29, 2013 in Bishkek), meeting of heads of competent authorities in charge of combating drug trafficking (April 30, 2013 in Bishkek), meeting of culture ministers (May 23-25, 2013 in Bishkek), meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (July 12-13, 2013 in Cholpon-Ata), meeting of defense ministers (June 26, 2013 in Bishkek), meeting of ministers of justice (September 5-6, 2013 in Beijing), meeting of heads of ministries and agencies in charge of emergency relief and management (September 10, 2013 in St. Petersburg), as well as of the meeting of heads of ministries and departments responsible for science and technology (September 11, 2013 in Astana).

The heads of state have noted that international relations are undergoing sweeping processes that have a serious impact on security and stability, modern politics and economics. The issues of the effective joint countering of global threats and challenges and ensuring sustainable socio- economic development in the SCO region are coming to the forefront.

The member states actively and purposefully combat international terrorism, separatism and extremism, transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, as well as in weapons, ammunition and explosives, information security threat, and illegal migration, and they support further improvement of the regulatory framework for cooperation in these areas.

The member states hold that illicit drug trafficking and their non-medical use pose a serious threat to the stability and security, health and welfare of the population of the countries in the region. They consider necessary to take measures aimed at creating an effectively functioning system of joint struggle against the drug menace, establishing a reliable barrier to illegal circulation of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors, as well as countering the spread of drug addiction. They are in favor of active cooperation with other interested States, regional and international organizations and agencies to this end.

In this regard, the SCO member states express their readiness to intensify the practical implementation of the provisions of the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, the SCO Counter-Terrorism Convention, Program of cooperation of SCO member states in combating terrorism, separatism and extremism for 2013-2015, Agreement between the governments of SCO member states on cooperation in the field of international information security, Agreement between the SCO member states on cooperation in combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, Anti-Drug Strategy of the SCO member states for 2011-2016 and the Program of Actions for its implementation.

The heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to the cooperation in further modernization of their national economies, close investment partnership, in transport and communications, innovative technologies, agriculture, continued review the issues related to the establishment of the SCO Development Fund (Special Account) and SCO Development Bank aiming at its early completion.

The heads of state have stressed the importance of the continued development of cooperation in the scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian areas, and in tourism which contributes to further strengthening relations of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, spiritual convergence, promotion of intercultural dialogue in the interests of the peoples living in the SCO region.

The heads of state expressed their appreciation for the work done related to the coordination and preparation of the Action Plan for implementation of the Treaty on Long-Term Good- Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of SCO member states in 2013-2017.

The meeting noted the relevance of the Agreement signed between the governments of SCO member states on scientific and technical cooperation.

The heads of state noted the work done by experts on the preparation of a draft Procedure (Rules) of granting the status of the SCO member state and new version of the model Memorandum on commitments of a state applying for the SCO membership and instructed the Council of National Coordinators of SCO member states to continue coordination of these documents in order to promptly complete them.

The meeting heard and approved the reports of the SCO Secretary-General on the Organization's operation and of the Council of the SCO RATS on the activities of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

The heads of state highly appreciated the chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic in the SCO and expressed gratitude to the Kyrgyz side for its hospitality during the summit of the Organization held in Bishkek.

In accordance with the SCO Charter, the chairmanship in the Organization for the coming period is being assumed by the Republic of Tajikistan. The next meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO member states will be held in 2014 in Dushanbe.