Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Friday morning that the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) marks a historic step for further cooperation between the six nations of the organization.

Jiang extended warm welcome to the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, who came to Shanghai for the establishment of the SCO.

The SCO will lay a more solid ground for good-neighborly and friendly relationship among the countries, Jiang said.

(Xinhua 06/15/2001)