State Councilor Zhou Yongkang said in Astana, Kazakhstan Thursday that security cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has seen important achievements. 

At the second meeting of SCO security council secretaries, Zhou said security situation in the region is generally stable but the "three evil forces" -- terrorism, separatism and extremism -- are still rampant while organized crimes such as drug trafficking are on the rise.

Zhou said security cooperation needs to be strengthened, and China is willing to join efforts with other SCO members to further expand consensus, take real measures to carry out existing agreements and provide a safe environment for social and economic development of the region.

Security council secretaries of other SCO member states also agreed at the meeting to step up cooperation in security.

The SCO, set up in June 2001 to promote regional cooperation and fight terrorism, groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2005)