Uzbekistan, India to enhance co-op within SCO framework

Xinhua April 27 Uzbekistan and India pledged on Thursday to enhance cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), reports from Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, said. In a joint statement issued following their talks, Uzbek President Islam Karimov and visiting Indian Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh agreed that strengthening bilateral cooperation within the framework of the SCO is conducive to the establishment of regional security machanism and will contribute to the consolidation of regional security and stability. Uzbekistan believed that India's participation in the SCO as an observer has promoted the organization' political significance and expanded its positive influence at the regional and international levels. The two sides expressed their satisfaction over the achievements made by the joint anti-terror working group set up in 2003 by the two countries. They reiterated their resolved opposition against terrorism in any form and vowed to carry on their long-term fight against terrorism. Singh arrived in the Uzbek capital on Tuesday for a two-day official visit.