Wed, August 27, 2008
TASHKENT, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao left for Turkmenistan Saturday evening after attending a meeting of the prime ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
At the sixth Meeting of Prime Ministers of the SCO Member States on Friday, Wen raised a four-point proposal on enhancing the SCO cooperation.
Prime ministers of the SCO member states signed a joint communique after the meeting, vowing to strengthen cooperation in customs, agriculture, culture and education.
Wen also held talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev on bilateral ties and issues of common concern. The two countries reached an agreement on wide-ranging issues and signed a joint communique on Saturday.
Wen also met with leaders of some member states and representatives of observer states to discuss bilateral cooperation.
The SCO, a regional organization founded in June 2001, now comprises China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, with Pakistan, Mongolia, Iran and India holding observer status.
Uzbekistan is the first leg of Wen's four-nation tour, which will also take him to Turkmenistan, Belarus and Russia.
The premier's visits to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Belarus coincide with the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the three countries.
During his visit to Russia, Wen will attend the 12th regular meeting between the prime ministers of China and Russia, and the closing ceremony of the "Year of China" in Russia.
