Judicial heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member
states discussed on Thursday a legal mechanism to combat increasing
cross-border crime, in particular the "three evil forces" of
terrorism, extremism and separatism. They are attending the First
SCO Supreme Court Presidents Conference in Shanghai.
"SCO members share the responsibility of fighting cross-border
crime, including the 'three evil forces', because the region's
security and stability are being threatened," said Xiao
Yang, president of China's Supreme People's Court.
The regional group consists of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Founded on June 15, 2001, the
SCO is a major international anti-terrorist organization.
In the past five years, the SCO has carried out extensive
defense and security activities. Apart from battling the "three
evil forces", the SCO has led a crackdown on drug trafficking and
related crimes such as money laundering and weapons
smuggling.?
The Chinese government attaches great importance to judicial
cooperation within SCO framework and will work with other SCO
members to enhance it, Chinese President Hu Jintao
said in a congratulatory letter sent to the conference.
Hu said judicial cooperation was an important part of SCO work.
Exchanges and cooperation among the supreme courts of SCO member
states were of great importance in preventing and cracking down on
cross-border crime and on the "three evil forces" of terrorism,
extremism and separatism, and in advancing peace and development in
the region.
Echoing his views, Vyacheslav Lebedev, the head of the Russian
Supreme Court, said: “All SCO members should set up a comprehensive
mechanism to combat cross-border crime, and the courts must be
involved in the process.”
(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)