Jun. 15 – The yearly summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) begins today in Yekaterinburg, Russia where discussions will focus on the effects of the global economic crisis and regional security.
The SCO member countries will be joined by leaders from India, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Iran as observer states. Leaders are expected to discuss issues concerning terrorism, separatism, extremism, border organized crime and drugs in the region.
Although some members have been reluctant to ease trade and investment, the global financial crisis has provided an opportunity for SCO countries, as well as observer states, to join hands promoting multilateral cooperation in trade and economic development, Chen Yurong, director of the SCO Research Center of the Institute of International Studies, told China Daily.
The SCO was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental mutual-security organization and includes member countries China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
President Hu Jintao will also attend the first summit of the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – on Tuesday to be held in the same city. The group will talk about major issues like the international financial crisis, reform of the financial institutions, food and energy security, climate change, trade, and the future of BRIC dialogue.
After the summit, President Hu will head to Moscow for an official state visit since the appointment of President Dmitry Medvedev before visiting Slovakia and Croatia.
