Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) pledged to further efforts to expand pragmatic cooperation, according to a press communique issued after the 19th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO held here on Friday.

Member states emphasized that the SCO, as an efficient and constructive multilateral cooperation mechanism, plays an important role in maintaining regional peace and stability, as well as promoting the development and prosperity of the member states, the communique said.

SCO members said they will continue to promote pragmatic cooperation in the SCO framework in such fields as politics, security, economy and trade, finance, investment, transportation, energy, agriculture, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

They also stressed the significance in deepening all-round and mutually beneficial cooperation with the organization's observer states and dialogue partners.

They reiterated their support for strengthening the role of the United Nations as a central coordinator.

The leaders strongly condemned terrorism in all forms, and called on the international community to fully implement relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

They noted that the interference in the domestic affairs of other states under the pretence of combating terrorism and extremism is unacceptable, as well as the use of terrorist, extremist and radical groups for one's own purposes.

They noted that unilateral and unlimited build-up of missile defense systems by certain countries or groups of states jeopardizes international security and world strategic stability.

They also expressed their readiness to increase cooperation on drug control and emphasized the need to launch multilateral negotiations on an international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism, the communique said.

Member states reaffirmed their support for mediation of conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria through dialogue, and urged to implement comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue on the basis of unconditional fulfillment of obligations by all parties, according to the communique.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, it said.

The 20th SCO summit will be held next year in Russia, the communique said.