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)