"I am convinced that the SCO from a historical point of view is called upon to become a kind of transcontinental bridge which will organically link the European and Asian continents" says a message of greetings from the Russian President to the SCO Executive Secretary Chang Deguang.
The message was handed over to Chang Deguang by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov at a ceremony of opening the SCO Secretariat on Thursday.
"Such role of the SCO stems first of all from unique geopolitical position of the SCO member-states, the philosophy professed by the SCO of respect for a variety of cultures, beliefs and traditions, openness and orientation for extensive international cooperation," the document says.
It is of principled importance that work on organizational setting up of the SCO was completed within an exceptionally short time period", Putin says in his message." In this I see a convincing evidence of the correctness of the principles of equality and consensus that were laid down at the basis of our organization, the resolute determination of the SCO member-states to turn the organization into an effective mechanism of multi-profile collaboration in the interests of peace, stability and well-fare of the peoples of our countries." "Russia is ready to do its utmost for consistent strengthening of the SCO as an important element of both regional and global architecture of security and development basing on multilateral approaches," the Russian president said. -0 -(mar/cor)
