The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Thursday opened its permanent secretariat in Beijing.

Heads of state of the SCO's six member states -- President Hu Jintao of China, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan,President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan and President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan -- all sent telegrams of congratulations on the inauguration.

The establishment of the secretariat was decided at the Moscow Summit in May 2003 by the heads of state of the SCO members. Its main functions are to provide organizational and technical guarantees for the SCO's activities, to participate in the research and implementation of documents of various departments, and set forth suggestions for the organization's annual budget.

In his telegram, Hu said the founding of the secretariat was a major event in the SCO's development, and the branch would play a vital role in enhancing the substantial cooperation between members and the organization's foreign contacts.

Hu said China was ready to work with other member nations to further promote the SCO's development as a link between the members and an important force for regional and world peace, stability and development.

Zhang Deguang, former Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister and former ambassador to Russia, was appointed the first secretary-general ofthe SCO, which was officially formed in June 2001.

Designated by the SCO summit meeting and held in turn by memberstates in Russian alphabetic order, every secretary-general can serve only one term of three years.

Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and the foreign ministers of six SCO members -- Li Zhaoxing from China, Kasymzhomart Tokayevfrom Kazakhstan, Askar Aytmatov from Kyrgyzstan, Igor Ivanov from Russia, Talbak Nazarov from Tajikistan, and Sodik Safaev from Uzbekistan -- and representatives of international organizations attended the inaugural ceremony of the secretariat, located in northeastern Beijing near some diplomatic agencies.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message, "An institutionally strengthened SCO has been evolving into an increasingly important regional security organization."

Annan said the member states had "accumulated valuable experience in dialogue and cooperation, developed mutual understanding and strengthened the sense of collective responsibility for a common future in the region."

Annan described the establishment of the secretariat as "the logical extension of that progress, and the United Nations looks forward to multi-faceted cooperation with our new regional partner".

Other international organizations like the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also expressed willingness to further their cooperation with the SCO.

Tang, in his address to a reception after the ceremony, commended the SCO's role in promoting good-neighborly mutual trustbetween member nations, in safeguarding regional security and stability and reinforcing regional cooperation, expressing the hope that it would actively participate in foreign contacts and become a constructive force in the international arena.

Prior to the inauguration ceremony, the SCO foreign ministers held an ad hoc meeting, exchanging views and putting forward suggestions on the organization's development and preparations forthe forthcoming summit meeting in 2004. The meeting also approved the appointment of three deputy secretary-generals of the organization.

Also present at the inauguration ceremony was Mongolian ForeignMinister Luvsangiin Erdenechuluun, who is on an official visit to China.

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