Bolat Nurgaliyev Secretary-General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(September 2, 2007, Urumqi)

Honourable Chairman Simayi Tieliwaerdi,
Honourable Forum Organizers and Participants，
First of all, it is my pleasure to thank the people's government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China for inviting me to attend the inauguration of the Urumqi Trade Fair and the Middle and South-West Asia Regional Economic Cooperation High Level Forum.
Member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have done a lot of works for consolidating and developing multi-fields in different levels of mutually beneficial cooperation. This is also a necessary factor to maintain the safety and stability of the area and to guarantee the economic and social sustainable development.
At the same time of fighting against the nowadays three "evil forces" the terrorism, separatism, and extremism, one of the main tasks of the organization is to make effective use in reasonable of rich natural and energy resources, and industrial, agricultural, and scientific-technical potential of member countries, to develop economic cooperation, and to realize real regional integration. The works in this field have laid a solid law foundation: in the last 6 years since the establishment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has signed 33 important documents on economic and investment cooperation, which include "Long-term Multilateral Business and Economic Cooperation Compendium" and its "Implementation Measure Plan".
Member countries of the organization have determined the priority cooperation fields which are jointly interested such as traffic, energy source, modern information and telecommunication technology etc. The website for the "regional economic cooperation of Shanghai Cooperation Organization" has been opened, the regular meeting mechanism of business and economy secretary has been started up. In order to implement the passed decisions, the 16 special workgroups in economic fields which include customs, energy source, investment, traffic, tourism, and sanitation cooperation workgroups have done lots of works. Specialists from the member countries are drafting some new documents to consolidate the law foundation for the above fields and in aspects of encouraging mutual investment in further step.
To establish and develop mutually beneficial economic cooperation with observer countries and as well as international and regional organizations is also the important orientation of our works. At the present time, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has established relationships with the Community of Independent States, Europe and Asia Economic Community, United Nations Development Program, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Asian Development Bank, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific etc. The preparation works of member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Intergovernmental International Road Transportation Facilitation Convention has obtained financial aid from the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
On August 16, 2007, on the Bishkek Summitry, sovereigns of member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization pointed out that the economic cooperation within the frame of the organization entered into the phase to implement the relevant plan and arrangement in practical, and implement " demonstration project " with multilateral participation and mutual benefit in fields of energy source, traffic, telecommunication etc.
The member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have huge common markets, rich mineral resources, solid production basis and powerful scientific-technical potential, and the mutual economical complementariness is strong, it has ability to implement a batch of joint projects to promote the development and prosperity of us countries and as well as the whole region. The cooperation of the organization with partner countries -- Indian, Pakistan, Iran, Mongolia, and Afghanistan also has very good prospect.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Bank Community and Businessmen Committee work in active and effort for the economic cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, we place great and earnest hope for it. Not long ago, these two organizations signed arrangement on Cooperative Controlling Investment Projects Programme of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
On the Bishkek Summitry, the sovereigns of the six Countries signed the "Long-term Good Neighbourhood Friendship Cooperation Treaty ". This document gives clear and definite stipulations on mutual obligations which member countries shall undertake in fields of economy, of which it includes: (I) protect legal rights and interests of property of one contracting party within the boundary of the other contracting party；(Ⅱ) create facilities for trade development, investment promotion, and technical exchange, and provide assistance for legal persons and natural persons of contracting parties doing legal economic activities, and protect their legal rights and interests.
After this Treaty being signed, the state-run and private enterprises of the six countries to engage in economic activities in other member countries shall be protected by laws.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is ready to develop cooperation on principle of opening and basis of equality and mutual benefit with countries and organizations which identify with objectives and tasks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
I'd like to lay special emphasis on that the People's Republic of China is exerting a leading role in aspects of deepening the good neighbourhood friendship cooperation and promoting mutual economic relationships for member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China is adjacent to the Middle and South Asia countries, it is the core for the revival of the "Silk Road". in recent years, the Xinjiang economy and social development have obtained evident achievements, we feel very happy about this.
The people's government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is effort in promoting business and economic and culture cooperation with the adjacent member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the secretariat of the organization appreciates it very much.
I'd like to approvingly point out that in the business and economic and culture cooperation of China with other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and as well as all countries in local area, Xinjiang is exerting more and more active roles. The scale and participant quantities of the Urumqi Trade Fair and the Middle and South-West Asia Regional Economic Cooperation High Level Forum enlarge continually is just the explanatory evidence. The high level forum provides an effective platform for promoting various forms of exchanges.
In taking this opportunity, I wish the Urumqi Trade Fair and the Middle and South-West Asia Regional Economic Cooperation High Level Forum achieve success, and wish all of the participants have smooth working, obtain new achievements in their fields, and wish health for everybody and everybody being under favourable auspices!
Thanks!