He's in Europe? Iran's Ahmadinejad, arrived in China Wednesday afternoon, is scheduled to confer with the presidents of participating member states on bilateral and regional issues on the sidelines of the summit.
6th SCO summit opens in China Beijing, June 15, IRNA
China-Summit-President
The sixth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) opened in this eastern port city of China on Thursday.
Presidents of Iran, China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Mongolia, a high-ranking Indian delegation led by the country's minister of oil and energy as well as representatives from the United Nations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are taking part in this day-long summit.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, who will preside over the summit hosted by his country, will deliver the keynote address.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is attending the summit as a guest.
He has been invited to attend by SCO member states because of the importance the organization gives to the campaign against narcotic drugs.
Summit participants will discuss progress achieved by the SCO and decisions that have to be made on various subjects as well as review major regional and international developments.
A number of documents, covering projects worth over USD 2 billion, will also be signed during the summit.
A statement is to be issued at the end of the summit on major political issues as well as agreements reached on areas for further cooperation among member states as well as in the security, economic and educational fields.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who arrived in China Wednesday afternoon, is scheduled to confer with the presidents of participating member states on bilateral and regional issues on the sidelines of the summit.
Some 796 reporters have arrived in Shanghai to cover the event.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by six countries including China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Its member states have a population of 1.455 billion, about a quarter of the world's total.
Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia have observer status in the the organization.
The SCO's main goals are to draw member states to work together to maintain regional peace, security and stability and encourage creation of a new international political and economic order anchored on the principles of democracy, justice and rationality |
