SCO Chiefs of General Staff discuss Iraq, Afghanistan, color revolution threats
BEIJING. Aug 28 (Interfax) - The Chiefs of General Staff from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries have discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East at a conference in Beijing.
The conference was attended by the Chiefs of General Staff of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The delegations agreed to build confidence in the military field, to promote regional peace and stability and to improve joint antiterrorism operations.
Russian Armed Forces General Staff Chief Gen. of the Army Valery Gerasimov told the audience that terrorism, separatism, extremism and drug trafficking posed a serious threat to the security.
"The discussion of regional security issues focused on the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are most concerned about possible destabilization of the region after the departure of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan. We also discussed the situation in the Middle East. Our positions coincide. Military scenarios will not bring positive results but will have dramatic consequences for regional countries," he said.
In turn, Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China Col. Gen. Fang Fenghui said the situation around Afghanistan was becoming more complicated. "The threat to global security is now more evident. Terrorists are rapidly infiltrating into Central Asia," he said, adding that an analysis of the current situation did not feature a possibility of possible scenarios.
The general pointed out the destructive influence of color revolutions on global security. "The promotion of democracy by certain states has prompted a new round of color revolutions which aggravate the international situation," Fang said.
The conference participants declared the importance of cooperation between SCO member states against the backdrop of profound security transformations. The Chiefs of General Staffs also said it was important to hold regular antiterrorism exercises.
