From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Fri Jun 15 2001 - 09:13:53 EDT
UZBEKISTAN JOINS SHANGHAI FORUM
SHANGHAI. June 14 (Interfax) - Russian, Chinese, Kazakh, Kyrgyz,
Tajik and Uzbek leaders have signed a joint statement saying that
Tashkent is prepared to join the Shanghai Forum as a full member.
Uzbekistan is highly appreciative of the Shanghai Five's
achievements, the statement says.
Uzbekistan's full membership implies observance of the principles
outlined in an agreement signed in Shanghai and Moscow in 1996 and 1997,
respectively, on confidence building measures and the reduction of armed
forces in the border areas and other understandings reached since that
time and shaping relations between the countries of the group, the
statement says.
Uzbekistan is prepared to become an equal co-founder of the new
association with China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan
and sign with them a declaration on the setting up of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization and a Shanghai Convention on Fighting
Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism.
NO COUNTRIES BESIDES UZBEKISTAN HAVE APPLIED TO JOIN SHANGHAI FORUM -
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER
SHANGHAI. June 14 (Interfax) - No countries except for Uzbekistan
have applied so far to join the Shanghai Forum, Russian Defense Minister
Sergei Ivanov has said.
Ivanov noted following a meeting between Russian and Kyrgyz
Presidents Vladimir Putin and Askar Akayev that "a number of countries,
such as Mongolia, Iran, and the U.S., would also like" to join the
Shanghai group, "but to want to do so is one thing and to submit an
application is quite another. No applications from these countries have
come so far," the defense minister said.
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