SHANGHAI, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday called for the signing of an agreement on strategic partnership between member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
"We have developed equal strategic partnership within the framework of the SCO," Putin told the heads of SCO member states at the organization's annual summit in Shanghai. "That is why I believe it is important to secure this partnership with a multilateral agreement."
The SCO was set up in 1991 as a regional security organization by Russia and China plus four former Soviet republics in Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The leaders of Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia, which currently have observer status in the group but have expressed interest in becoming full members, are also attending this year's summit, being held in the organization's Chinese hometown.
