Trends of cooperation within SCO: Secretary General Bolat Nurgaliyev

INFORM
Posted: 2007-11-30 20:17:58

BEIJING. November 30. KAZINFORM /Talgat Baimukhambetov/ This November is remarkable for abundance of formal events and occasions of multilateral and bilateral character that were held in the framework or under the aegis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
In his exclusive interview to a Kazinform correspondent < b>SCO Secretary General Bolat Nurgaliyev told about one of these events, namely the session of the SCO prime ministerial council in Tashkent.

Speaking of agreements reached within the framework of the SCO prime ministerial session, Bolat Nurgaliyev noted that its participants had underlined their readiness to deepen interaction in economics, investments and innovations and paid attention to the problems of the humanitarian cooperation, including education, healthcare, and culture. Premiers of the SCO member states stressed the agreements should be aimed at promotion of the economic growth and raising welfare of the SCO nations. Putting into practice these agreements is one of the central tasks of the SCO structures and bodies' everyday activity.

A report of the SCO Secretary General "On realization of the multilateral commercial-economic cooperation program" was introduced at a recent session of the SCO prime ministers. Despite the fact the work of the SCO Secretariat was praised, it was noted that cooperation in some of the spheres lacked effectiveness and the agreements reached should be fulfilled by all parties concerned, even on the ministerial level. Indeed, a great deal of pilot projects and decisions made by the SCO leadership fail to be fulfilled on time because of contradictions of the legislations, financial and other problems of the member countries.

The objective of the organization is to create necessary legal base for effective trans-border interaction and signing of an agreement on mutual help and cooperation in the customs issues by prime ministers in Tashkent was the first step towards it. As a result of toilsome work of experts of the customs agencies, fiscal bodies, justice ministries favorable conditions unifying the customs procedures have been created.

The next decisive move - signing of an agreement on creation of the favorable conditions for international highway transportation - is believed to be signed during the next SCO Summit in Dushanbe or within the framework of the SCO prime ministerial meeting in Kazakhstan. The accord will make the life of trucking companies easier, boost freight traffic and more effective use of the SCO transport potential. In Tashkent the prime ministers emphasized it was crucial to increase efforts and complete the work on the intergovernmental agreement.

Bolat Nurgaliyev pointed out that all observer countries under the SCO - Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan were welcome to participate in these projects. "We want them to feel that they stand to benefit from taking part in the SCO activities," he said.

The SCO Secretary General has high hopes for developing agricultural cooperation within the framework of the organization. At the SCO Summit in Bishkek and the prime ministerial meeting in Tashkent heads of the agro-industrial complexes of the member states were charged to define specific agricultural projects of mutual interest.

Earlier in an interview to Kazinform news agency representative of the Moscow State University Alexei Vlassov made an uncomplimentary remark on the state of integration processes in the SCO educational sphere. The SCO Secretary General said that a plan on realization of the agreements in the educational field was being developed.

The problem of tourism was also touched upon in the frame of the prime ministerial meeting in Tashkent. According to the heads of the SCO governments, the organization has made the first faltering steps in developing tourism on its territory. The SCO member states are expected to proceed to preparation and development of the necessary agreement in this sector soon.