(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 26. Within theframework of Kazakhstan's presidency in the Shanghai CooperationOrganization (SCO), a meeting of defense ministers was held,Trend reports.
Heads of defense departments of the SCO member states, theSecretary-General, the Director of the Executive Committee of theSCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, as well as the Minister ofDefense of Belarus, took part in the meeting.
The sides discussed topical issues of international and regionalsecurity in a traditionally friendly and constructive manner andidentified steps to develop cooperation between defenseagencies.
Additionally, it was noted at the meeting that the SCO is not amilitary-political bloc, and military cooperation is not directedagainst other countries.
The meeting's activities are focused on strengtheningconfidence-building measures in the military sphere andcoordinating efforts to counter challenges and threats to regionalsecurity. In this connection, the necessity of continuing the jointmilitary counter-terrorism exercise Peace Mission was noted.
To promote the activities of the Armed Forces of theorganization's member states, the heads of the defense departmentsagreed to develop interaction between military history museums.
Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov, head of Kazakhstan's defenseministry, drew the participants' attention to the historical aspectof the organization.
“If we go back to the origins of the SCO, it should be notedthat the basis for its creation was laid by the Agreement onStrengthening Confidence-Building in the Military Field in theBorder Area of April 26, 1996 (Shanghai Agreement) and theAgreement on Mutual Reduction of Armed Forces in the Border Area ofApril 24, 1997 (Moscow Agreement),” he said.
Further, Kazakhstan's Defense Minister proposed to develop andadopt an agreement on confidence-building measures for all SCOstates within the framework of the organization, providing formutual visits to military units voluntarily and providinginformation on major military exercises, leadership, and thestructure of defense agencies.
The meeting resulted in the signing of a protocol, severaldocuments regulating cooperation, and the adoption of a jointcommuniqué.
Kazakhstan's Minister of Defense and the Secretary General ofthe Shanghai Cooperation Organization made a joint statement at theconclusion of the event.
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