Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today in the city of Tashkent, under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan, the regular thirty-sixth meeting of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (RATS SCO) was held, the Dunyo news agency reported.

It was attended by delegations of the competent authorities of India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the Executive Committee of the SCO RATS.

The parties reviewed the state of regional security, discussed the current situation in the field of countering terrorism, separatism and extremism in the SCO space, exchanged views on the level of interaction between the competent authorities of the SCO member states, identified joint measures to respond to modern security challenges and threats from international terrorist organizations.

During the meeting, the Report of the SCO RATS Council to the SCO Heads of State Council on activities in 2020 was approved. Information on the progress in 2020 of the Program of Cooperation of the Organization's Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2019-2021, decisions of the SCO RATS Council was considered. The draft Program of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2022-2024 was approved. A positive assessment was given to the activities of the Executive Committee of the SCO RATS over the past period.

It was agreed to hold in 2021 the next joint anti-terrorist exercise of the competent authorities of the SCO member states "Pabbie - Antiterror - 2021", the Eighth meeting of the heads of the border services of the competent authorities of the member states and the Eighth international scientific and practical conference of the SCO RATS.

Decisions were made to improve cooperation between the competent authorities of the SCO member states in identifying and suppressing channels for financing terrorist activities.

As part of the implementation of the requirements of UN Security Council Resolutions 2178 and 2396, aimed at preventing the movement of foreign terrorist fighters, the issue of the implementation and operation of advance passenger information systems and data on passenger registration records was considered.

A number of employees of the competent authorities of the SCO member states and officials of the Executive Committee of the SCO RATS were awarded the Diploma of the Council and the Commemorative Badge of the SCO RATS for their personal contribution to the development of the activities of the SCO RATS and strengthening interaction between the competent authorities of the SCO member states. Representatives of Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Russia were awarded the title of "Honorary Representative of a member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization."

Decisions were made on organizational, personnel and financial support for the activities of the Executive Committee of the SCO RATS.

An agreement was reached to hold the next meeting of the SCO RATS Council in September this year in Uzbekistan.

The 35th meeting of the SCO RATS Council took place on 12 September 2019 in the city of St. Petersburg. In 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the SCO RATS Council meeting was not held.