The heads of state of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter referred to as "the SCO" or "the Organization") participated in the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of SCO Member States in Beijing from 6 to 7 June 2012.

The heads of state noted the ongoing complex changes in the international system since the beginning of the 21st century, featuring an increasingly multi-polar landscape, stronger regional coordination, deepening globalization, closer interdependence between countries and a larger role for information technologies.

It is imperative for the international community to meet global challenges through effective and concerted actions. Given the complexity of the world economic situation and the persistent instabilities and uncertainties, another large-scale economic and financial crisis may strike. Meanwhile, the risks of terrorism, narcotics trafficking, transnational crimes, development imbalance, food shortage, climate change and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as the threats and challenges of local and regional conflicts still exist.

Responding to the common aspirations of the people of the member states, the SCO has carried out effective work to promote peace, cooperation and development, lived up to the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development, and helped establish an effective model for building friendly and cooperative state-to-state relations.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the member states, the SCO has played an important role in securing peace and sustainable development, upholding the security, stability and development of the region, combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, battling narcotics trafficking and transnational organized crimes, advancing regional cooperation and strengthening good-neighborliness and mutual trust.

The member states will continue to enhance military mutual trust in the border region and take necessary steps to avoid border dispute and safeguard peace, tranquility and stability.

The member states will continue to strengthen and upgrade cooperation within the SCO framework and build the SCO region into a region of lasting peace, friendship, prosperity and harmony.

In this connection, the heads of state declare the following:

I

The member states call on the international community to work for the peaceful co-existence and dialogue between civilizations, seek consensus, promote coordinated and sustainable development, respect the cultural traditions and values of different countries, and build closer state-to-state relations on the basis of universally recognized rules and principles of the international law.

The member states honor the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Treaty of Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other international treaties acceded to by the member states as they further develop and deepen their relations.

The members states desire to build mutual relations on the basis of respecting each other's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and independent choice of social system and development path and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The member states support each other in maintaining domestic stability and promoting economic growth.

No member state will join any alliance or group of countries targeted at other member states, and issues between member states or between members and other countries shall be addressed through political and diplomatic means and consistent with the international law, with every possible measures explored.

II

The member states share the view that it is important to promote a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination in international relations, and build a indivisible security space in the world where the interests of all countries are respected.

Unilateral and unrestricted build-up of missile defence by an individual country or a country bloc will endanger international security and strategic stability. The relevant issues must be resolved by all the countries concerned through political and diplomatic efforts. The member states firmly believe that one should not pursue its own security at the expense of other countries' security.

The member states support the building of a world free of nuclear weapons and in strict compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The SCO calls on all nuclear weapon states to sign the relevant protocols to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia and take real steps to move forward the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia.

The member states stand for ensuring outer space security, peaceful use of outer space and prevention of outer space weaponization. They promote the formulation of a "treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and the threat or use of force against outer space objects", and the formulation and international implementation of outer space transparency and confidence-building measures.

The member states will, on the basis of the principles of respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, work to build a peaceful, secure, fair and open information space. The member states oppose the application of information and telecommunication technologies in a way that endangers their political, economic and social security and prevent the use of the Internet to propagate terrorism, extremism and separatism ideologies.

III

The member states are of the view that regional affairs should be solved through consultation between relevant countries in the region and international organizations. The specific means and mechanism for maintaining regional security and stability should be decided by the countries of that region.

In the event of a situation threatening the peace, stability and security of a member state of the SCO or the entire region, the member states shall, in accordance with the organization's relevant documents, take political and diplomatic measures to deal with the situation timely and appropriately.

The member states continue to step up bilateral and multilateral cooperation to jointly combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, battle illicit trafficking in drugs and weapons and other transnational criminal activities, address illegal migration and meet the new threats and challenges in other security fields.

The member states support Afghanistan's effort to build an independent, neutral, peaceful, prosperous country free of terrorism and drug-related crimes. They are of the view that the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. The member states support the United Nations' leading role in coordinating the international efforts on the issue of Afghanistan. The member states will help the Afghan people in their national reconstruction. The member states decide to give Afghanistan the observer status in the SCO.

The member states express deep concern over the situation in western Asia and northern Africa. They sincerely hope to see peace, stability, prosperity and progress in this region. They call on the international community to respect the purposes of the UN Charter and norms of the international law, respect the independent choice of the countries and peoples in the region, and work to ease tensions. They oppose armed intervention or forced "regime change" and disapprove of unilateral sanctions.

The member states underline that all acts of violence inside Syria must stop. They support broad-based domestic dialogue that respects Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. They welcome the UN Security Council's support for political mediation efforts in solving the crisis and believe that a peaceful solution to the Syrian issue through political dialogue serves the common interests of the Syrian people and the international community.

The heads of state of the member states express deep concern over the developments surrounding Iran, an SCO observer state. They regard any attempt to resolve the Iranian issue by force as unacceptable as such attempts will produce unpredictable and serious consequences threatening stability and security of the region and even the world. They call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid remarks or actions which might further escalate confrontation.

The member states are of the view that all countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as well as the basic norms governing international relations. They stand for strict implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. They support the P5 plus one and Iran in opening sustainable dialogue process and they support efforts to find a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and talks between relevant parties. The member states expect Iran, as a responsible member of the international community, to play an important role in maintaining peace and prosperity.

IV

The member states support each other and promote experience sharing and practical exchanges and, in light of national social and economic priorities, build on modernization and innovation-driven growth to increase the potential for economic development.

The member states maintain that economic globalization should be conducive to a trading relationship that is balanced, mutually beneficial, fair, efficient and non-discriminatory and that benefits all countries.

The member states are ready to continue to work with the international community to contribute to removing the impacts of the international economic and financial crisis and achieving sustainable growth of the world economy.

The member states will deepen and improve win-win regional economic cooperation, promote trade and investment facilitation, undertake major co-investment projects and absorb the participation of observer states and dialogue partners.

The member states consider it necessary to continue to promote cooperation in the border region and neighboring areas to increase connectivity and share the results of economic development.

The member states will work hard to safeguard energy security in the region.

The member states attach importance to developing transport infrastructure that connects Asia with Europe, building relevant international transport corridors and improving the efficiency of multimodal transport, and they will continue to strengthen cooperation to accomplish the above tasks.

The member states shall protect the social and economic rights and interests of citizens from other member states residing within their borders in accordance with national laws and their respective international obligations.

V

The smooth development of the SCO region requires a peaceful, secure and stable international environment as well as unremitting efforts to establish a fair and democratic international order.

The United Nations should play a central role in upholding world peace and security, promoting common development and increasing mutually beneficial international cooperation. The SCO member states reaffirmed their support for the United Nations in enhancing its efficiency and building up its capacity for timely and effective response to challenges and threats through reforms.

The relevant parties should continue consultations to seek a package solution to the issue of the UN Security Council reforms that accommodates various interests and concerns and reach the broadest possible consensus. In the interest of unity among UN member states, there should be no presetting of negotiation timetables, no premature discussion of any proposal that has not yet gained overwhelming support from member states, and no piecemeal approach.

The member states attach great importance to developing friendly ties and productive coordination with observer states, dialogue partners and international and regional organizations that have signed relevant documents with the SCO. They will continue to engage in dialogue with other international organizations and mechanisms that endorse the purposes and principles of the SCO.

The member states note with satisfaction an increasing interest of the international community in establishing contacts with the SCO and welcome the participation of the Republic of Turkey in the cooperation within the SCO framework as a dialogue partner.

VI

The member states stress that under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit", the SCO, as an important player and constructive force in the international relations, has become a model of state-to-state and regional cooperation in the 21st century.

The member states will continue to promote peace, justice, democracy and diversity in the world and advance development and prosperity of all countries and mankind by building harmonious and friendly partnerships in the region.

Beijing, 7 June 2012