SCO Business Council Meeting Was Held within VII BUEF Framework in Irkutsk

Irkutsk hosted a meeting of the Business Council of Shanghai Cooperation Organization within the framework of the VII Baikal Economic Forum VII. The meeting was attended by Sergey Naryshkin, Head of Presidential Administration of Russia; Dmitry Mezentsev, Chairman of the SCO Business Council - Governor of the Irkutsk region; Viktor Tolokonsky, Presidential Representative Plenipotentiary in the Siberian Federal District; Leonid Moiseev, Special the RF Presidential Representative for SCO; Sergei Kanavsky, Executive Secretary of the SCO Business Council; Sanjaagiin Bayar, Official Representative of the Government of Mongolia at the VII BEF.

Heads of National Units of the SCO Business Council and representatives of business organizations and Chambers of Commerce of the SCO-member countries. In his welcoming speech to the meeting participants, Sergey Naryshkin emphasized that the 10th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the 5th anniversary of SCO Business Council are celebrated this year. Head of Presidential Administration of Russia noted that over the years the organization has established itself as an authoritative international association, has proved its importance and relevance and has received wide international recognition. According to Sergey Naryshkin, the SCO is entering a qualitatively new stage of evolution, and therefore the members of the organization will review progress, assess opportunities and identify new measures for further cooperation.

"Such objectives were put forward by the leaders of SCO member countries at the Astana summit this year in June this year, they pointed out the need for accelerated development of economic potential by upgrading the already formed base of interactions," said Sergey Naryshkin.

Among the priority tasks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Head of the RF Presidential Administration called the development and adoption of the road map for implementing the program of multilateral economic cooperation in 2011 - 2020; opening of a SCO special account for the development of the feasibility study for the project of cooperation, the signing of intergovernmental agreements on creation favorable conditions for international road transport.

Dmitry Mezentsev made a report on the 2011-results of the SCO Business Council and plans for the near future. Chairman of the Business Council, noted that, this year, the Council started work on the organization of the dialogue between business organizations of the partner countries for the first time. The SCO Business Club was organized at its BC to support small and medium-size business. 20 projects in high technology, environment, transport and medicine on public-private partnership have been selected with a view to the further implementation.

"The proposals for the establishment of transport and logistics systems deserve special attention, as well as being under the ongoing expertise of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia projects on construction of mini-TPP plants," said Dmitry Mezentsev.

Head of the Business Council proposed to initiate an international conference on cross-border cooperation. Another proposal is for the organization regular discussions at the site of SCO Energy Club in 2012 . Dmitry Mezentsev noted that the idea to hold a business forum is currently being discussed It must take place before the meeting of Prime Ministers of the SCO, which will be held in Moscow in November this year. The Chairman called the BC's current issues to be put to discussion. Among them are: the establishment of a venture capital company by Russia, Kazakhstan and China; establishment of rating agency of the SCO countries; the introduction of electronic signature software and broadband communication systems, as well as the issue of energy use. The meeting participants paid serious attention to the development of youth entrepreneurship. In addition, five projects under development in finance, tourism, trade, education and construction of data centers (data storage and processing) were presented.