TASHKENT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday expressed support for maintaining peace and stability in Asia-Pacific region, including the South China Sea.
In a statement of SCO Secretary-General Rashid Olimov on South China Sea issue, all SCO countries agreed and supported China's efforts made to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.
They also voiced support for any country in the Asia-Pacific region to promote a peaceful, friendly and harmonious environment in the South China Sea.
The SCO member states stressed the UN Charter, UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and other international laws should be the basic principles when addressing the South China Sea issue.
Directly concerned states should resolve disputes through negotiation and consultation in accordance with all bilateral treaties and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the statement said.
It urged to respect the right of every sovereign state to decide by itself the dispute resolution methods, and strongly opposed outsiders' intervention into the South China Sea issue, as well as the attempt to internationalize the dispute.
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