SCO to consider issue of admitting new members

DUSHANBE , April 13, Asia-Plus – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization will likely consider admitting new members during its summit in June, the organization”s executive secretary said Thursday. Zhang Deguang said the summit, which starts June 15, would consider applications for full membership from countries that currently hold observer status in the organization. The SCO is […]

RIA Novosti

13.04.2006 09:16

DUSHANBE

, April 13, Asia-Plus – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization will likely consider admitting new members during its summit in June, the organization”s executive secretary said Thursday.

Zhang Deguang said the summit, which starts June 15, would consider applications for full membership from countries that currently hold observer status in the organization.

The SCO is a regional security forum founded in

Shanghai

in July 2001 by the leaders of

Kazakhstan

,

Kyrgyzstan

,

Tajikistan

,

Uzbekistan

,

Russia

and

China

.

India

,

Pakistan

, and

Iran

joined the organization as observers in 2005, following

Mongolia

”s accession also as an observer the previous year.

Zhang said SCO defense ministers would meet in

Beijing

at the end of April to discuss future joint military exercises. He added that there were no plans to form a military bloc based on the organization.

“I am sure that a military bloc will not be formed,” he said.