Leaders from the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), who gathered in Astana for an annual summit, lauded Tuesday the growing influence of the regional bloc and pledged to strengthen their economic and security cooperation.

The organization, which groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, decided on Tuesday to offer observer status to Pakistan, Iran and India, in addition to Mongolia, which became a SCO observer last year.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who presided over the summit, said the SCO has become a vigorous and promising international organization and member states should work hard to implement the multilateral economic cooperation program and establish a development fund and an industrial committee.

Measures need to be taken to strengthen education cooperation and improve legislation on fighting terrorism, Nazarbayev said.

In his speech made at the summit, Chinese President Hu Jintao said the SCO's achievements are a result of the joint endeavor in the changing international situation.

Hu called for unity in tackling the difficulties and challenges that lie ahead for the organization.
 
Acting Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said his country attaches great importance to the SCO and will do its part to boost the development of the organization and improve its efficiency.

Pledging Russia's constructive efforts to implement the agreements reached at the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said boosting the SCO's development and continuously strengthening cooperation among member states constitute an important part of his country's foreign policy.

Putin stressed that in view of the threats and challenges, priority should be given to safeguard stability and security in member countries and Central Asia.

Addressing the summit, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov urged stronger international coordination to boost the SCO's capability to tackle new challenges.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov said member countries should guard against the destabilizing factors in the security situation of the region and make joint efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.

The leaders agreed to hold the next summit in China in 2006. On behalf of the Chinese government, Hu thanked fellow SCO members for their trust and pledged full efforts in making preparations for the event.

Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, and SCO Secretary General Zhang Deguang also addressed the summit.

Later in the day, the leaders held a joint press conference at which they made respective assessments of the summit and voiced expectations for the SCO's future development.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2005)