15 May 2019 18:35

Kyrgyz president wants deeper integration in SCO to ensure security

BISHKEK. May 15 (Interfax) - Deeper integration is needed in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to counter today's challenges and threats in security, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said during a meeting with the Security Council secretaries of the SCO countries.

"Our organization is a global structure capable of resolving international issues. We all see how the international political situation is changing; what changes are occurring, I believe it is important to continue deeper integration in the SCO," Jeenbekov said at the 14th meeting of the Security Council secretaries of the SCO countries in Bishkek on Wednesday.

"All SCO countries need to keep their focus on security issues [...] Some negative processes are now taking place in the global world. These are challenges and threats and can cause destabilization within the SCO," he said.

"The problem of citizens' involvement in terrorist activities is a current one" for the SCO countries, Jeenbekov said.

"They [terrorist organizations] are preventing the general public from living in peace, being confident about tomorrow, and developing in a favorable atmosphere. Their goals fully contradict the interests of our countries," he said.

"Significant results in the fight against today's challenges and threats can only be achieved through consistent and systemic work and only by joint and coordinated efforts," Jeenbekov said.

Kyrgyzstan currently chairs the SCO. A summit of the heads of the SCO countries is scheduled to be held in Bishkek on June 13-14. The SCO comprises India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.