Iran`s Ahmadinejad not to take part in SCO summit

MOSCOW, June 9 (Itar-Tass) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who
is on a visit to Tajikistan, will not take part in the summit of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent on June 10-11, a
diplomatic source told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
Earlier Iran's mass media said Ahmadinejad planned the visit to China
to take part in Shanghai World EXPO 2010 during this time.
"Iran's president will not attend the summit," a source in the
diplomatic circles in Moscow said.
"Iran traditionally takes part in the SCO summits as an observer.
Maybe, some officials will represent the country, but the level is unknown
so far," the source said.
"Participants in the summit have no plans to adopt separate statements
on Iran and on the Korean Peninsula situation," the source said.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's official spokesperson said
in Beijing "Ahmadinejad will arrive in China on June 11 to take part in
World EXPO 2010."
According to the exhibition's official website, the Day of Iran will
be marked at the World EXPO 2010 on June 11.

-0-isk/kud