Chinese president Jiang Zemin met Thursday with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmonov, who came to attend the sixth summit of the "Shanghai Five" nations.

The meeting was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Jiang welcomed Rakhmonov's visit to Shanghai and recalled their meeting in the Chinese port city of Dalian in 1999. He told Rakhmonov that his visit to Tajikistan last year had given him an unforgettable impression.

Rakhmonov said he is feeling at home in Shanghai, as this is his second visit to the city.

The summit in Shanghai is of historical and political significance, as the concerted efforts of the leaders will lead to the birth here a new regional co-operative organization, which will be very important for all the six countries, said the Tajik president.

Rakhmonov expressed his satisfaction over the rising trend in every fields of the bilateral ties and his sincere gratitude to president Jiang and the Chinese people for their political, economic and moral support to Tajikistan in its hardest time.

Jiang said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization expected to be launched Friday is a result of active cooperation among the "Shanghai Five" nations over the past years and marks a new stage for the "Shanghai Five" process. He expressed the belief that this will further promote cooperation among its member states.

Jiang also expressed appreciation for Rakhmonov's positive contribution to the development of the "Shanghai Five" process.

President Jiang noted that China and Tajikistan has witnessed a healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties and remarkable achievements of cooperation since the two countries established diplomatic ties 10 years ago.

He thanked Tajikistan for its support to China on the Taiwan issue, the battle against national separatism and other issues, and pledged China's continued support to Tajikistan's efforts to consolidate state independence and revive national economy.

Jiang expressed the wish that the two countries will continue to open new fields of cooperation to enhance the bilateral ties.

On regional security issues, Jiang said separatism, terrorism and extremism are major threats to the security and stability of the region, and that China and Tajikistan are fully in agreement in opinions and are maintaining sound cooperation in combating the "three evil forces" and guarding regional security.

As to the pact on crackdown on the "three evil forces" to be signed Friday by China, Tajikistan and other members of the expanded "Shanghai Five", Jiang said this will lay a solid legal foundation for the countries' cooperation in security field, which will be of utter importance not only to current security of the region, but also to the peace and development for the next generation.

(Xinhua 06/14/2001)