The 7th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, Aug. 16, 2007. Chinese President Hu Jintao, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmonov and President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov attended the meeting. Hu Jintao delivered an important speech at the summit. The leaders of the six member states signed the Treaty on Long-Term Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation among the Member States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

At 9:20 a.m. local time Hu Jintao and the heads of state of Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan arrived at the conference building of Bishkek state guesthouse where they were received by Bakiev, President of the host country.

Then the leaders held a small meeting, exchanging in-depth views on deepening cooperation within the framework of the SCO and the situation of central Asia.

At 10:55 a.m. the meeting formally started. Hu delivered a keynote speech entitled Strengthening Good-neighborly Mutual Trust and Promoting Peace and Development. He emphasized that since its establishment six years ago the SCO has grown into an effective mechanism of maintaining the common interest of and enhancing the mutually beneficial cooperation among member states and a major force for lasting peace and common development. Since the Shanghai summit last year the member states of the organization have further expanded cooperation and partnership. The foundation of the long-term and stable development of the SCO has been consolidated.

The member states would enter into a treaty on long-term good neighborly friendship and cooperation which would become a milestone in the history of the organization, stressed Hu. Reflecting the aspiration of the people of member states of building lasting friendship and peace in the legal form, the treaty would surely inject dynamism into the growth of the organization.

He noted that it is the common aspiration of people around the world to maintain peace and realize common development. Faced with complex international and regional situation, we should unswervingly seize opportunities and cope with challenges in a bid to forge mutually beneficial cooperation and achieve common development of the member states. To that end the Chinese side raises the following suggestions:

First, to adhere to good-neighborly friendship, faithfully implement the treaty on long-term good neighborly friendship and cooperation and consolidate the political foundation of the long-term growth of the SCO. The biggest challenge we face today is whether the member states of the SCO can effectively maintain their sovereignty, security and development interest. It is a serious issue, and we should support each other and cope with it jointly. We should follow the treaty on long-term good neighborly friendship and cooperation and treat each other sincerely so as to keep increasing the mutual understanding and trust among the member states.

Second, to promote common development, enhance the mutually beneficial and win-win regional economic cooperation and strengthen the economic foundation of the SCO. We should make best use of the geological closeness and economic complementarities among the member states, realize the self-help and independence to the maximum extent and achieve common development. We should carry out extensive international cooperation, expand international economic and technological exchanges, increase cooperation with related international financial organizations and accelerate the integration into the international market and benefit from it.

The Chinese side is ready to push forward the regional cooperation of the organization with tangible steps. In the future China will continue to provide necessary credit and financing support for the key multi-lateral and bilateral programs of the organization in such priority areas as transport, communications and energy.

Third, to learn from each other in the cultural area, push forward the equal exchanges among different civilizations and consolidate the social foundation of the lasting friendship among the member states. We should learn from each other to realize common progress, launch cooperation and exchanges in various fields including science and technology, culture, education, sport and health and put special emphasis on creating conditions for the exchanges of youth. China decides to establish the scholarship for overseas students studying in China from the SCO members, suggests the member states hold the exchange camp activity of young students in turn and hopes the members enhance language teaching. China welcomes people from the SCO member countries to come to China to participate in related cultural activities within the framework of the Olympic Games.

Fourth, to strengthen opening up, deepen cooperation with other countries and international organizations and create a sound external environment for the growth of the organization. We should adhere to peaceful cooperation and multilateralism. China supports the SCO in launching the pragmatic cooperation with the observer countries, conducting dialogue, exchanges and cooperation in various forms with all the countries and international organizations which agree on the purpose and principles of the organization, maintaining world peace and pushing forward the international order in a more fair and rational direction.

Hu reiterated that to develop the good-neighborly friendship and cooperation with the member states of the SCO is a priority of Chinese diplomacy. China is ready to carry on the "Shanghai spirit" with all parties concerned, faithfully implement the treaty on long-term good neighborly friendship and cooperation and make relentless efforts to realize lasting peace and promote common development.

The heads of state of the SCO members made positive comments on the efforts of the organization in implementing the common consensus of the Shanghai summit and agreed that the treaty on long-term good neighborly friendship and cooperation complies with the trends of the times, well demonstrates the Shanghai spirit and would stimulate the in-depth development of cooperation among the organization in various fields.

Bakiev said that the SCO should implement such priority programs on trade, environmental protection, disaster reduction and cultural cooperation as soon as possible and make contributions to promoting the common development in the region and improving living standards of the people.

Nazarbayev noted that the organization should further push forward the cooperation of member states in such fields as major infrastructure construction, energy and resources, ecological environment protection and regional security and stability and strengthen contacts and cooperation with its observer countries.

Putin said that the organization should improve the legal foundation of anti-terrorism, strengthen the building of anti-terrorism network, conduct anti-terrorism cooperation with related international and regional organizations including the United Nations, cope with new threats and challenges jointly and enhance the security of the region. All the member states should reinforce cooperation in the economic, energy, educational, health and cultural areas.

Rakhmonov said that in line with its growth requirements necessary reform should be made in the secretariat and other related agencies of the organization, improve their functions, clearly define their responsibilities and enable them to better play their role. The organization should strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan on drug control and provide help for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Karimov said that the SCO has become a major force for fighting against terrorism, separatism and extremism and controlling drug. It provides a major platform for the member states to conduct political, diplomatic, cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation. He expressed confidence that the summit would play an important role of realizing the security and stability in the region and promoting the economic, trade, cultural and educational cooperation among the member states.

Leaders or representatives from the SCO's observer countries --Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India -- also addressed the summit.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and United Nations Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe attended the summit as guests of the host country.

It was decided at the summit that the next SCO summit meeting would be held in 2008 in Tajikistan.

After the summit the leaders of the six member states signed the important document of Treaty on Long-Term Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation among the Member States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and attended the signing ceremony of a series of important documents.

The summit issued the Joint Communiqué of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Bishkek Declaration.

Later the leaders jointly met with journalists.

They then attended the luncheon hosted by President Bakiev and watched the gala performance in the afternoon.

Vice Premier Wu Yi of the State Council was also present at the above activities.