Opening remarks by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin:

Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

I am deeply pleased to greet this meeting's participants – esteemed representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s member states, observers and the leaders of regional and international organisations.

An ordinary meeting of the SCO heads of state has just finished. We have exchanged opinions on important issues influencing the organisation’s work in a constructive, businesslike atmosphere. We have compared our approaches to the impressive goals that we are facing and agreed to continue expanding our trade, economic, research, technology and cultural cooperation. We will make continuous joint efforts to increase the SCO’s influence and authority regionally and globally.

As we continue working now in an expanded format, I suggest that we approve the agenda for today’s meeting. You have this agenda. Unless anyone has any objections, let us assume that it has been approved.

Before we proceed to our discussion, I would like to repeat the regulations for you again. Each of the heads of government of the SCO member states is allowed to make a seven minute presentation. The SCO secretary general will speak for five minutes, while other participants will be asked to keep to this time limit as well.

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Speech by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin:

Colleagues, allow me to say a few words on behalf of the Russian delegation as well.

During the decade of its operation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has become an influential international forum, and has built up a significant capacity to develop the economy, and strengthen stability and security in the region. I share the perspective that our colleagues expressed earlier, that with our combined efforts we will be able to bring the work of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to a whole new level and achieve the ambitious goal of transforming our organisation into a foundational structure of the global economic and political architecture, an effective platform for cooperation between regional associations and an avenue for expanding dialogue with neighbouring countries.

This is particularly important now, with the global economy experiencing challenging trends. We can and must address the existing issues together, side by side, because we often find ourselves facing similar problems. This is precisely the reason why we believe it necessary to significantly expand our economic cooperation through both large-scale projects involving the participation of our respective states, and smaller projects carried out by small and medium-sized businesses, and by the entire business community in general. I am confident that in the future, we must promote trade and economic relations, and expand industrial and scientific cooperation, and the flow of investment in both directions. Everything I have just mentioned will substantially benefit from the early approval of the list of actions seeking further expansion of the project's activities under the programme for trade and economic cooperation between the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. I suggest speeding up the approval of this document and signing it as soon as possible.

I believe that we need to form a strong infrastructural outline of the Shanghai Organisation. Primarily, we need this in order to further expand our respective national economies, and to create new points of growth and additional opportunities for the people of our nations. Secondly, this will help realise the huge transit potential of the region and secure its role as a link between Europe and the Asian-Pacific Region.

We support close cooperation for the establishment of international transport corridors, major logistical centres (our colleagues have already mentioned this) and, certainly, for building a modern regulatory base for our cooperation. An agreement for facilitating international road transport plays a very important role here. We expect that this document will be signed in the near future. There seem to be good prospects for railway and air transport as well.

As for power engineering, the interests of both producers and consumers should be taken into account. That is why we support the idea of forming the Energy Club, which would include members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and our partners. The decision to establish the Energy Club was already made during a recent summit in Moscow. We now need to work quickly through the organisational phase and agree on a specific plan of action.

It is certainly important to improve our financial instruments of economic cooperation. As you are aware, Russia has promoted the establishment of a special SCO account, and the money in this account can be used to develop feasibility studies for a given project. As for the interbank SCO association, a medium-term development strategy has been agreed upon. Its priorities include support for infrastructural projects, innovations, implementation of resource-saving processes, and, of particular importance, the expansion of mutual settlements in national currencies and the use of large securities exchanges in Moscow, Shanghai and Hong Kong for attracting investment.

It is also important that we expand direct contact between companies, enterprises and the business community. The Business Council and Youth Council of the Shanghai Organisation carry out a great deal of practical work in this regard. The International Business Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that is being held in Moscow was convened on their initiative. The purpose of the forum is to discuss current issues of cooperation in areas such as information technology, internet communications and e-commerce.

There are many interesting and promising ideas in the area of humanitarian cooperation. I would like to draw our attention to the establishment of an online SCO university that involves over 60 of the leading educational institutions of our countries. Another SCO Week of Education is being held in Moscow, during which the University Charter will be signed.

We also propose expanding joint programmes in the area of healthcare. This issue primarily has to do with such areas of focus as sanitary and epidemiological wellbeing, and combating the spread of contagious diseases.

Strengthening regional security, fighting terrorism, separatism, organised crime and, certainly, drug trafficking are unconditional priorities of the SCO's activities.

The prompt restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan is our common goal. Russia is prepared to participate in projects that seek to restore the Afghan economy, and we will continue to provide necessary assistance to our Afghan friends. All SCO member countries require proper conditions and guarantees for safe and steady development. We must provide secure protection against all threats and risks to our citizens. The SCO is open for cooperation and interaction. However, we would like plans for securing and building up stability in the region to be determined by the members of the organisation of their own accord.

As for the expansion of the SCO's geography of responsibility, Russia would welcome the approval of applications filed by states seeking participation in our organisation. The opportunities, authority and influence of the SCO will greatly benefit from this.

To conclude, I would like to wish success to our colleagues from Kyrgyzstan, who will be hosting the next meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the organisation. This requires a great deal of organisational work, but we are confident that Kyrgyzstan will carry this all through respectably.

Thank you for your time, colleagues.

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Vladimir Putin's closing remarks:

On behalf of the Russian delegation, from the country that is currently presiding, I would like to thank all of the participants of the session for the fruitful work that we have conducted, and for a rich and constructive dialogue.

At the conclusion of this meeting, I'd like to point out that we have managed to discuss the global economic situation, to speak frankly about the problems that our region is facing and to outline new areas of collaboration within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

The proposals that have been made by the heads of delegations on launching new projects of common interest deserve the most attentive study. We invite all member states, observer states and partners in our dialogue to take part in this work. It is important that the SCO develops dynamically, and that we strengthen its standing on the international arena. It is therefore natural that more and more countries are showing interest in its work in various formats. We happily welcome this interest.

Next year, the meeting of the heads of state will be held in Kyrgyzstan, as we mentioned earlier today. I have no doubt that our Kyrgyz colleagues will provide a successful event.

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Several joint documents are signed following a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government

1. Decisions of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation:

- report of the SCO Secretariat on the Programme for Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO member states;

- list of measures for further developing project activities within the SCO;

- SCO financial report on the execution of the SCO budget for 2010;

- SCO budget for 2012;

- reallocation of provisional expenses of the SCO Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Regional Counter-Terrorism Structure (RCTS) for 2011;

- amendments to the Provision on Money Allowances, Guarantees and Compensation for Regular Employees of SCO Permanent Authorities.

2. Joint Communiqué of the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers).

3. Joint Declaration of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) on member states' economic position in the world and in the SCO space (adopted without being signed).

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The Strategy for Further Development of SCO Interbank Consortium in the medium-term (2012-2016) was signed as part of the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.