On Friday October 12, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received heads of governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations, who arrived in Dushanbe to attend a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, according to the Tajik president’s official website.    

Speaking at the meeting, Tajik leader pointed to the necessity of jointly combating terrorism, extremism, separatism, as well as trafficking and weapons and drugs, cybercrime and other types of organize transnational crime.

Rahmon also noted that security and stability within the SCO area of responsibility directly depends on the current situation in Afghanistan and Middle East.  

In this context, Tajik president stressed that reestablishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan is a key factor to provide security and stability within the SCO area of responsibility.

Concerning economic cooperation between the SCO member nations, Tajik leader reportedly proposed to pay attention to development of regional transportation and transit corridors.  He also pointed to the necessity of expanding cooperation between the SCO member nations in the fields of economy, environmental protection and introduction of innovative technologies. 

Tajik president’s website says Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese PM Li Keqiang, Kazakh PM Bakitjan Sagintayev, Kyrgyz PM Muhammetkali Abilgaziyev, Uzbek PM Abdulla Aripov, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Belarusian PM Syarhey Rumas, SCO Secretary-General Rashid Olimov, Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Yevgeni Sysoyev as well representatives of Iran and Mongolia and others arrived in Tajikistan to attend the 17th meeting of the  Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government.