DUSHANBE, December 12, 2014, Asia-Plus — Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda will represent Tajikistan at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (CSO) Council of Heads of Government that will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan from December 14-15.
The meeting is reportedly expected to focus, in particular, on discussing the results of the 13th SCO Council of External Trade and Economy Ministers Meeting, while the SCO Secretariat will present a report on the organization”s foreign economic and foreign trade activity.
The meeting participants will discuss issues related to the pace of implementation of a trade and economic cooperation program, the list of measures for further development of project activity within the framework of the SCO for 2012-2016 and formation of an appropriate financial mechanism.
The meeting is expected to result in adoption of a joint communiqué and resolutions on various aspects of the SCO activity.
Rasoulzoda will hold a number of bilateral meetings with heads of participating delegations on the sidelines of the meeting, the source said.
Founded by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on June 15, 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization. Except for Uzbekistan, the other countries had been members of the Shanghai Five; after the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001, the members renamed the organization.
The Organization currently has six full members — China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India are four observer states, and SCO’s dialogue partners include Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey.
The Council of Heads of Government is the second-highest council in the organization. This council also holds annual summits, at which time members discuss issues of multilateral cooperation. The council also approves the organization”s budget.
