SHANGHAI: The Chinese Government attaches great importance to judicial co-operation within the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) framework and will work with other SCO members to enhance the level of judicial co-operation, said President Hu Jintao.

"We will work with governments of the SCO countries to improve the judicial co-operation mechanism and constantly enhance the level of judicial co-operation in accordance with the 'Shanghai Spirit', the Charter of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization and other relevant legal documents," Hu said in a congratulatory letter sent to the first SCO supreme court presidents conference, which opened yesterday in Shanghai.

Hu said judicial co-operation was an important part of the SCO's work. Exchanges and co-operation among supreme courts of SCO members was of great importance to preventing and cracking down on cross-border crime. It would also help fight the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, and advance peace and development in the region.

The SCO acted in accordance with the "Shanghai Spirit" that values mutual trust and benefit, equality, consultation, respect for different cultures and common development, he said.

"Member countries have comprehensively deepened and broadened pragmatic co-operation in political, security, economic and cultural fields, and the SCO has demonstrated an image of peace, co-operation and openness to the international community," Hu said.

Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony of the conference.

According to China's Supreme People's Court, which organized the conference, a major topic is the establishment of a co-operation mechanism to deal with cross-border crime and strengthen judicial co-operation to fight against the "three evil forces" in the region.

The presidents of supreme courts will discuss the judiciary's role in boosting social development, guaranteeing justice, improving judicial efficiency and enhancing the co-operation mechanism among courts of SCO member countries.

The conference will issue a joint statement.

Founded in June, 2001, the SCO comprises China, Russia and the four central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. SCO member countries have conducted co-operation in security, economic, trade, cultural, military and judicial fields.

Since the September 11 incident in the United States, member countries have strengthened anti-terrorism co-operation centred around the crackdown on the "three evil forces" of the region.

(China Daily 09/22/2006 page2)