SCO FMs discuss strategy for future development

MOSCOW - Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday discussed the strategy for the bloc's future development and made preparations for an SCO summit in the Russian city of Ufa in July.

The ministers decided to formulate the future strategy based on the SCO Development Strategy until 2025 which will promote cooperation among member states in politics, security, economy and culture.

They adopted a draft resolution on granting SCO membership to India and Pakistan, an enlargement the ministers believe is of great significance to deepen SCO member states' cooperation with its observers and dialogue partners.

Also adopted at the meeting was a draft statement on the 70th anniversary of the victory of World War II. The ministers noted that SCO member states and other countries made great contributions to the anti-Fascist war.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the ministers stressed the need to consolidate the UN mechanism of global governance, calling for the need to uphold its key role endowed by the UN Charter in maintaining world peace and security.

The ministers approved the draft of the Outline of Cooperation in the Fight Against Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2016-2018, and vowed to work closely to crack down on narcotics trade.

The ministers also called for dialogue and consultation to such hotspot issues as the situation in Afghanistan and Syria, the Ukraine crisis as well as Iranian nuclear issue.

Founded in 2001, the SCO has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members, with Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners. Russia holds the rotating presidency of the SCO in 2015.