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SCO foreign ministerial meeting kicks off in Tajikistan

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Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states gathered for a meeting at a Tajik government countryside residence on Friday, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
PUGUS (Tajikistan), July 25 (RIA Novosti) - Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states gathered for a meeting at a Tajik government countryside residence on Friday, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

The ministers are to focus on a joint declaration to reflect the bloc's role in the world, and in particular Central Asia.

The meeting will also adopt a joint statement to assess the SCO's performance in 2007 and to establish new tasks for expanding cooperation.

International problems as well as efforts to enhance security and stability in the region will also be discussed.

The SCO, comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, has maintained a moratorium on new members for two years now. Iran and Pakistan, observer states at the SCO since 2005, have sought full membership in the regional bloc, widely seen as a counterweight to NATO's influence in Eurasia.

Today's meeting will also decide on whether to admit new members or set up mechanisms for a partnership dialogue for other countries to join.

The group primarily addresses security issues, but has recently moved to embrace various economic and energy projects.

Russia and China have been cautious over admitting Iran, embroiled in a long-running dispute with the West and Israel over its nuclear program and alleged support for radical groups in Lebanon and other countries.

However, both China and Russia have major commercial interests in Iran. China wants Iranian oil and gas, and to sell weapons and other goods to the country, while Moscow hopes to sell more weapons and nuclear energy technology to Tehran.

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