SCO speeding up establishment of special account

 　　BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will speed up the establishment of a special account and development bank in order to enhance its members' ability to cope with new threats and challenges.

　　Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi made the announcement at a press briefing on Friday after meeting with his counterparts from the other five SCO member countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

　　Yang said the foreign ministers agreed to improve the organization's ability to warn of potential crises and manage emergencies in order to maintain the sovereignty and security interests of SCO member countries.

　　The member countries should also make greater efforts to deal with the impact of issues related to finance, energy and food safety, according to Yang.

　　The foreign ministers will submit a draft regulation on political and diplomatic measures and mechanisms¹ designed to deal with issues threatening regional peace, security and stability to a SCO summit to be held in June in Beijing for approval, according to a press release issued after their meeting.

　　The foreign ministers reaffirmed their cooperation in fighting terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug smuggling² and transnational organized crime, stressing the need for member states to maintain international information security within the SCO framework and in other international organizations and forums³, the press release said.

　　Yang said the foreign ministers agreed that the SCO should continue to deepen relations with its observers and dialogue partners, as well as friendly organizations like the United Nations (UN).

　　The foreign ministers said the organization should create a bigger role for observers and dialogue partners within the SCO framework, according to the press release.

　　They vowed⁴ to strengthen cooperation with other international and regional organizations on international and regional affairs. The foreign ministers also asked the Council of Heads of State to review the dialogue partner status of Turkey, the press release said.

　　China's foreign minister said SCO members will pay attention to events currently unfolding in Afghanistan, west Asia and north Africa. They will continue to play a constructive⁵ role in promoting the peaceful reconstruction⁶ of Afghanistan, appeal for adherence⁷ to the principles of the UN Charter and international laws, respect the choices of countries and people in the region and maintain peace, stability, prosperity and progress.

　　The press release said the SCO is concerned with the situation in Afghanistan, as it is closely related to regional peace and stability. All sides support the United Nations in playing a leading role to find a solution to the violence there, as well as support the efforts of the Afghan people to peacefully reconstruct their country.

　　The SCO supports Afghanistan's drive to become an independent, peaceful, neutral and prosperous country, the release said.

　　The foreign ministers will submit Afghanistan's observer status for review during the June summit.

　　The foreign ministers also voiced support for further cooperation in areas related to technology, culture, health, tourism and disaster relief.

　　Yang said the next decade is a key period for the development of the SCO. All member countries have agreed to submit a completed strategic plan on the organization's medium-term development to the SCO summit to approve, he added.

　　According to Yang, the upcoming summit will witness the signing of several agreements concerning politics, security, economics and culture.

　　He said the member countries will strengthen the construction of the SCO's standing⁸ institutions. On Friday afternoon, the foreign ministers unveiled a new building for the SCO Secretariat.

　　Yang said the SCO is a priority in China's foreign policy. The Chinese side will make joint⁹ efforts with other SCO members to make the organization an effective platform for regional cooperation, as well as a strong link for long-lasting friendship among all members, he said.

　　The meeting of the SCO foreign ministers opened Friday morning in Beijing to review and discuss cooperation among SCO members, formulate¹⁰ further measures and suggestions and prepare for the June summit.

　　Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Kazakbayev, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Hamrohon Zarifi and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Kamilov Abdulaziz Khafizovich attended the meeting.

　　After the meeting, the foreign ministers signed a resolution and held a joint press briefing.

　　The foreign ministers also attended the opening ceremony for the new SCO Secretariat, located on central Beijing's Ritan road. Yang said the Secretariat has made "special contributions" to the development of the SCO, and all member states desire to see the improvement of the working conditions of the Secretariat.

　　President Hu Jintao met with all of the foreign ministers on Friday afternoon.

　　Observers of the SCO include Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India. Its dialogue partners are Belarus and Sri Lanka.

1 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

3 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

4 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

5 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

6 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

7 adherence   

n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着

参考例句：

• He was well known for his adherence to the rules.他因遵循这些规定而出名。
• The teacher demanded adherence to the rules.老师要求学生们遵守纪律。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

10 formulate   

v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述

参考例句：

• He took care to formulate his reply very clearly.他字斟句酌，清楚地做了回答。
• I was impressed by the way he could formulate his ideas.他陈述观点的方式让我印象深刻。