Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states pose before a meeting of Foreign Ministers' Council in Almaty, May 14, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

ALMATY - Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) met Saturday on regional peace and security.

During the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi lauded the SCO's contributions to promoting regional harmony and development as well as to the democratization of international relations since its inception 10 years ago.

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In the second decade of the 21st century, the SCO will meet more diversified challenges as unstable, uncertain and insecure factors are on the rise despite the mainstream world trend of peace and development, Yang said.

The member states need to make continued efforts to consolidate their unity and mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation and strengthen strategic coordination in a bid to make greater contributions to world peace and security, he said.

Having reviewed what the SCO has achieved in the past 10 years, the foreign ministers were of one mind that the SCO has raised its international profile and played a positive role in promoting regional peace and stability as well as the economic and social development of its member states.

They agreed that in the current international situation, the SCO needs to further strengthen its internal mechanism and boost practical cooperation in such areas as security and economy.

They also expressed their willingness to strengthen coordination and cooperation to ensure the success of the SCO Astana Summit, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the SCO.

Also on Saturday, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the SCO foreign ministers as a group on the sidelines of the meeting.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO is comprised of six members: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.