SCO Secretary-General meets Talbak Nazarov, member of Tajikistan’s Academy of Sciences

On 27 June, prominent Tajikistani statesman and public figure, former Foreign Minister, member of Tajikistan's Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economics, Professor Talbak Nazarov visited the SCO Headquarters in Beijing, where he met SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov.

The Secretary-General noted Mr Nazarov's significant contribution as the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan to establishing and developing the SCO. "You were at the headwaters of the SCO, and were directly involved in its creation and operation. Today, the SCO meaningfully contributes to strengthening regional and global stability, and acts as an effective tool for promoting ties between countries in multiple areas. Along with your colleagues at the time, you personally contributed to these processes as a diplomat and statesman," Mr Alimov pointed.

Mr Nazarov congratulated the Secretary-General and the entire SCO staff on the 15th anniversary of the SCO Charter and the 10th anniversary of the Treaty on Long-Term Relations of Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the SCO member states. He noted that these two instruments provided an ideological and philosophical foundation for an international organisation of a new kind. According to Mr Nazarov, "the SCO has become the only intergovernmental structure that has succeeded within a very short period of time in developing mechanisms that ensure effective cooperation on political and economic matters, as well as for fighting the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism."

Speaking about the SCO's current role, Mr Nazarov pointed out that the SCO has come into the international spotlight following the Astana SCO Summit and the accession of two new members, India and Pakistan. "In terms of its development prospects, the SCO has broad opportunities," he said, adding that he hoped that SCO member states would remain focused on resolving essential security and stability issues through collective efforts, and succeed in their work. "The next stage in the SCO's development should bring about new and even more ambitious projects to promote economic, scientific technical, humanitarian and other types of cooperation while taking into account the current realities," Mr Nazarov noted.

Tajikistan's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the People's Republic of China Parviz Davlatzoda also attended the meeting.

During his visit, Mr Nazarov toured the SCO Headquarters, and saw the Marble SCO Charter Hall, as well as rooms dedicated to the capitals of SCO member states, and saw the SCO symbols: the Shanghai Spirit sculpture, the SCO Stone and the SCO Tree.

Mr Nazarov was in Beijing as the guest of honour of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.