KABUL (SW): China would host the 14th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)’s meeting on Monday in which Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah would represent Afghanistan.
Heading a large delegation of officials, Abdullah landed in Beijing on Sunday evening for a four-day official trip.
Among other items, anti-terrorism measures for the region are included in the agenda for this meeting. Deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai among 11 cabinet ministers and other officials accompany Abdullah on this trip.
Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are members of the SCO while Afghanistan, Iran, India, Pakistan, Mangolia and Turkmenistan would join the conference as observers.
On behalf of Afghanistan, Abdullah would elaborate efforts Afghanistan has undertaken to curb terrorism and promote cooperation in various fields in the region. On the sidelines of this important regional conference, the Afghan CEO would hold meetings with leaders of the participating countries.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is political, economic and military organisation, which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These countries, except for Uzbekistan had been members of the Shanghai Five, founded in 1996; after the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001, the members renamed the organisation.
On July 10, 2015, the SCO decided to admit India and Pakistan as full members, and they are expected to join by 2016.
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