Address to visitors of the official website of the Russian Federation’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2008-2009

I would like to welcome visitors to the official website of the Russian Federation’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

At the August summit, Russia took over the SCO presidency for 2008 and 2009. We have prepared for this important mission fully and with due responsibility. The program of the presidency provides for a series of major undertakings. We have elaborated proposals for the further development of cooperation in the SCO. We are hoping that our initiatives, made with due account of the interests of all member countries, will be received positively and be supported by them.

Russia suggests that priority for the SCO member countries should be to consolidate peace and security in the SCO space, and build up cooperation to counter current threats, such as terrorism, cross-border crime and drug trafficking, including that from Afghanistan. We will continue to improve the SCO’s foreign policy coordination and expand its international contacts.

During our presidency we intend to guarantee international information security, a vital task for the entire world community.

In the economy, we plan to lay emphasis on developing direct contacts between business communities – under the aegis of the Energy Club and with the participation of the SCO Business Council and the SCO Interbank Association.

Development of cultural, scientific and youth contacts, and cooperation in higher and vocational education, including the formation of the SCO University, are of special significance for the integration of the SCO countries.

We are also planning to launch healthcare cooperation, above all in creating an integral system for monitoring infectious diseases, upgrading sanitary inspection, and preventing epidemics.

The summit of the Council of Heads of State will be a key event during Russia’s presidency. It will not be the first time Russia has hosted such meetings. In the past they have taken place in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 2009, the heads of state will meet in Yekaterinburg.

We hope that the official website of the Russian SCO presidency will help its visitors to learn more about the organization’s conceptual and international legal foundations, and its practical activities.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV