A regular meeting of the Council of Heads of Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held on 16 August 2007 in Bishkek. The meeting was attended by Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, Kurmanbek Bakiev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, Emomali Rakhmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and Islam Karimov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Nurgaliev Bolat Kabdylkhamitovich, Secretary-General of the SCO and Myrzakan Subanov, Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS) participated in the meeting.

The meeting was also attended and addressed by senior representatives of the SCO observers-Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Republic of India, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nambaryn Enkhbayar, President of Mongolia, Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and guests of honor of the host state –Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, and Lynn Pascoe, UN Under Secretary-General.

Acting on the agreement reached at the commemorative summit of the Council of SCO Heads of State held in Shanghai on 15 June 2006, the heads of SCO states signed the Treaty among the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.

The heads of SCO states signed the Bishkek Declaration and adopted the Action Plan of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Ensuring International Information Security for the implementation of the Statement of Heads of SCO Member States on International Information Security of 15 June 2006.

Representatives of the SCO members also signed the Agreement on Inter-governmental Cultural Cooperation among Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States.

The heads of state attended the opening ceremony of the Third SCO Art Festival.

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In the spirit of friendship and understanding typical of the SCO, the heads of state reviewed the progress made by the SCO since the previous meeting of the Council of Heads of State, reached agreement on future steps to promote all-round cooperation within the SCO framework, and had an in-depth exchange of views on the current international and regional situation.

The heads of state noted with satisfaction that the goal of deepening and expanding multifaceted cooperation among the member states set at the Shanghai Summit of 2006 had been basically met. The signing of the Treaty among the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation marks the establishment of a new type of relations of mutual trust within the SCO framework. A number of agreements on cooperation in specific areas will be signed to implement the Treaty.

The heads of state agreed that there is an increasing need for closer cooperation among parliaments and supreme courts of the member states and for information sharing in the legislative field to improve the legal systems of the SCO members.

The heads of state pointed out that broadening the mandate of the Secretariat and assigning the status of main executive officer of the SCO to its secretary-general has contributed to the institutional consolidation of the organization. The SCO RATS has actively carried out its duties and strengthened the functions of its Council and the Executive Committee, increasing its role in regional and international counterterrorism cooperation.

The heads of state placed great value on the implementation of the Program of Cooperation of SCO Member States on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2007-2009. They agreed on the need to crack down harder on terrorist financing and money laundering.

The heads of state noted the effectiveness of the joint counterterrorism exercise and the important agreement reached at the third meeting of Secretaries of National Security Councils and the meeting of defense ministers of the SCO members, which took place in Bishkek on 25 May 2007 and 27 June 2007 respectively.

The heads of state accepted the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation to observe the Peace Mission 2007 joint counterterrorism military exercise to be conducted by the armed forces of the SCO members in Russia on 17 August 2007.

The heads of state welcomed the work of the SCO International Information Security Expert Group and encouraged the Group to continue its activities.

The heads of state recognized the smooth implementation of The Plan of Actions on Emergency Relief Cooperation of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States for 2007-2008.

The heads of state discussed ways of cooperation in tackling illegal migration and managing migrant workers within the SCO framework.

The heads of state underscored the importance of taking preventive measures to guard against destabilizing factors in the SCO region and the timely setting up of relevant mechanisms for joint response to threats to peace, stability and security in the region.

The heads of state emphasized that cooperation should be deepened on the basis of the Agreement of 17 June 2004 to stop trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic drugs and their precursors. The competent authorities of the SCO members should strengthen cooperation and share experience on the prevention of drug-related scourges, rehabilitation of drug addicts and the fight against drug trafficking.

To enhance the role of the SCO in maintaining stability and security and promoting economic cooperation in Central Asia, the heads of state explored the possibility to tap SCO's potential in addressing the issue of Afghanistan through the SCO-Afghanistan Liaison Group and other acceptable formats.

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The heads of state noted that the SCO economic cooperation had entered a stage of implementing the relevant plans and agreements, as well as demonstration projects in energy, transportation and telecommunications which will involve and benefit all members.

Given the important role of the SCO Business Council and Interbank Association in this regard, the heads of state welcomed the signing of the cooperation agreement between them.

The heads of state highlighted the importance of maintaining close coordination and forming a common position among the SCO members in the energy sector. The energy mechanism under the SCO should be based on the principle of openness to all countries and organizations that endorse the goals and tasks of the SCO.

The heads of state noted the significance of making joint efforts in environmental protection and rational use of natural resources.

The heads of state expressed readiness to consider the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic to designate 20 February the World Social Justice Day at the next session of the UN General Assembly.

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Noting that the younger generation will carry on the cause of forging friendship among the peoples of the SCO states, the heads of state welcomed more exchanges between youth organizations within the SCO framework.

The heads of state underscored the important role of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in strengthening friendship among nations. The SCO members will actively assist China in making security and other arrangements to help ensure the success of the Games.

The heads of state welcomed the decision of the International Olympic Committee to award to Sochi the right to host the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

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The heads of state expressed satisfaction with the growth of SCO's external ties and stressed the need for promoting practical cooperation with the observer states in various fields.

The SCO members will continue to improve the legal foundation for SCO's conduct of international exchanges.

The heads of state noted the need to deepen SCO's cooperation with the CIS, the Eurasia Economic Community and ASEAN based on the existing memoranda of understanding.

The heads of state supported building ties between the SCO and the Collective Security Treaty Organization and adopting coordinated efforts between the two organizations in maintaining regional and international security and addressing new threats and challenges.

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The heads of state highly appreciated the efforts made by the Kyrgyz Republic in holding the rotating Presidency of the SCO and its hospitality during the Bishkek Summit.

The next meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Members will be held in Dushanbe in 2008, as the Republic of Tajikistan will assume the Presidency of the organization.

The meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Members for 2009 will be held in Yekaterinburg, the Russian Federation.