DUSHANBE, May 23, Asia-Plus -- Special services of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will assist their Chinese colleagues in ensuring security during the Olympic Games in Beijing, Interfax cited Kyrgyz security service chief Marat Sutalinov as saying at a press conference in Bishkek on May 22, following the 24th session of the council of the CIS heads of security and special services.

He, in particular, noted that special services of CIS member nations cooperating within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) build cooperation and work with Chinese colleagues within the framework of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS), which is based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.    

According to him, special services of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are working jointly on exposing channels for dissemination of religious extremism in those countries and preventing the possible intrusion of international terrorist groups into the countries of the region.

We will recall that a joint communiqué adopted at the meeting of the council of heads of SCO members in Bishkek in August 2007 noted that the heads of state underscored the important role of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in strengthening friendship among nations.  The SCO members will actively assist China in making security and other arrangements to help ensure the success of the Games, the communiqué said.