DUSHANBE, June 15, 2011, Asia-Plus – The anniversary, 10th, Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is getting under way in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.
According to Kazakh media, the official session of the Council of Heads of SCO member states will open today. Following the session heads of delegations from observer states – India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan – will join SCO leaders.
President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov were also invited to the summit.
The jubilee summit will be dedicated to the analysis of the results of SCO’s activity in the past decade and further development of the organization.
Additionally, Summit participants will discuss a wide range of issues linked to the current global and regional situation.
The participants are also expected to sign the Astana Declaration of the 10th anniversary of SCO.
Following the summit Kazakhstan will hand over the rotating presidency of the SCO to China.
The SCO Summit has brought together President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, President of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbaeva, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and members of official delegations.
SCO member states are Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Iran, India, Mongolia and Pakistan hold the observer status. India, Pakistan and Iran have already submitted their requests to joint SCO. Afghanistan has submitted request for getting the observer status.
