The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have condemned terrorism of all kinds and called for the formation of a unified global counter-terrorism front for tackling the issue.
As per the Qingdao Declaration signed by the eight member states of the SCO, it said that the member states strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and consider it necessary to make efforts to promote the creation of a unified global counterterrorism front with the central coordinating role of the UN on the basis of international law, without politicisation or double standards.
The member states confirm the key role of the state and its competent agencies in counteracting terrorism, separatism and extremism on its territory, as well as in relevant cooperation within the SCO and in international formats.
Further, the eight SCO states confirmed the special role of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure in the joint fight against "the three evils" - terrorism, extremism and separatism - in order to ensure regional security, and will boost the potential of cooperation between competent agencies in this area.
Considering the growing scale and mutual interconnectedness of threats to security, they noted the importance of the further improvement of the RATS SCO, including considering the organisation of a monitoring system of possible threats in the global information space, and counteracting them.
The member states deem it important to consistently implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear programme, and call for participants to strictly observe their obligations with a view to ensuring its full and efficient implementation and promoting peace and stability in the region and globally.
The SCO members also advocated the settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula solely through a political and diplomatic approach based on dialogue and consultations.
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They support the peace initiatives of the international community, including those of Russia and China, aimed at the normalisation of the situation, including the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, and securing long-term peace in Northeast Asia.
In this context, the member states note the resumption of the intra-Korean dialogue, as well as the contact between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, and urge all involved parties to support the negotiating process.
The member states support the efforts of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to provide security, ensure economic development, to counteract terrorism, extremism, and drug crimes.
They believe that establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan and an economic restoration will promote the security and sustainable
development of the region as a whole.
The member states emphasise that there is no alternative to settling the situation in Afghanistan beyond political dialogue and an inclusive peace process by the Afghan people themselves and under their guidance, and call for boosting cooperation under a central coordinating role of the UN for ensuring stability and development of the country.
Also, an agreement on cooperation and interaction of the member states of the SCO on border issues pledges to prevent the activity and cross-border movement of foreign terrorists and terrorist groups.
In relation to the developments in the Middle East, the member states note the growing threat from foreign terrorists who return to their countries or find shelter in third countries to continue their terrorist and extremist activity within the SCO.
The SCO members agreed that they will work to improve the information exchange mechanisms regarding these people and their movements, and speed up procedures to extradite foreign terrorists in accordance with the national legislation of the member states and boost international cooperation both on the political level and between the security services.
The member states that are signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are committed to strict compliance with NPT provisions, a comprehensive and balanced encouragement of NPT goals and principles, the promotion of the global non-proliferation regime and nuclear disarmament with due regard for the entirety of international stability factors, as well as stimulating equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
They also reaffirm their concern about the risk of weapons of mass destruction ending up at the disposal of terrorist groups, where they advocate the strengthening of the international legal framework to counter this threat and support the initiative to draft an international convention against chemical and biological terrorist attacks at the Conference on Disarmament.
Further, the member states will strengthen their cooperation in combating the spread and propagation of terrorist ideology through the internet, including publicly justifying terrorism, recruiting members to terrorist groups, inciting and financing terrorist attacks, and online tutorials on methods of committing terrorist acts.
The SCO members have noted the importance of combining the efforts of the international community in countering attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups.
In this regard, they have adopted the Joint Appeal to Youth, in which they will put forth the intention to organise comprehensive educational work as well as the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation in the SCO.