Indonesian Ambassador to Uzbekistan H.E. Mohamad
Asruchin has met with the Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional
Anti-Terrorism Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (RATS-SCO)
Mr.Zhang Xinfeng on August 20th, 2013 in Tashkent to exchange ideas, views and
as well as information related to the development of political and security
situation and conditions in the region nearing the year of 2014.
Ambassador Asruchin further considered SCO as a
regional organization that is not only attractive to Western Countries and the
U.S., but also to ASEAN, Indonesia in particular. Since Indonesia and SCO share
similar interests in the issue of combating terrorism and drug trafficking, the
Indonesian Embassy in Tashkent is committed to encourage and facilitate further
cooperation between the RATS-SCO and its relevant Indonesian partners.
Indonesia always considers any form of mechanism to
develop cooperation with SCO particularly in anticipating the impact of the
withdrawal of U.S./NATO forces out of Afghanistan in 2014 against the peace and
security of the region. Good relations between Indonesia and all SCO member
countries are expected to further intensify the cooperation with SCO, including
problem of drug trafficking and smuggling the Indonesian has been facing with
the influx of illegal migrants from Iraq, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and countries
in the Middle East region.
Mr. Xinfeng said that SCO that was founded 11 years ago
specifically focus on security issues. SCO plays an important role in the
region and its member countries agreed to fight three threats, namely
terrorism, extremism and separatism. SCO is currently focused on the global
issues among others the situation in the Middle East and Africa as well as the
situation in Afghanistan with its impact on both the world and Central Asian’s
security. The Central Asia has been growing
and has increasingly attracted the attention of many other countries since the
disintegration of the Soviet Union. In addition to six member countries being
China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, SCO has 5
observer countries, namely Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan.
Mr. Xinfeng reminded that his predecessor had visited
Jakarta in 2011 and agreed on a draft MOU on Counter-terrorism Cooperation
between the RATS-SCO and BNPT as well as between RATS-SCO and the ASEAN
Secretariat. He therefore, requested the good offices and assistance from
Ambassador Asruchin to facilitate the follow-up of the said MOUs. (Source : Indonesian Embassy in Tashkent)