SCO ministers to discuss Afghan situation, joint anti-terror fight

ALMA-ATA, May 14 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
will take part in a session of the Council of Foreign Ministers under the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Saturday which will discuss the
situation in Afghanistan and joint fight against terrorism.
The SCO diplomats will also consider preparations for the SCO's
jubilee summit in Astana on June 15. The top-level meeting is timed with
the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the organization.
The parties will discuss and are expected to approve the draft
documents to be put up on the agenda of the upcoming summit in Kazakhstan.
"The key summit document is the Astana declaration of the 10th
anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which will give an
evaluation to its operation in the first decade of its existence, state
the approaches to topical international problems and the situation in the
SCO space, and map out the priorities in further development of
cooperation between the SCO member-states," a Russian Foreign Ministry
official said.
The SCO foreign ministers will exchange views on the pressing regional
and global problems, further strengthening of the Organization and
expanding its external relations.
"The parties will state their opinions about the latest events in the
world, as well as the key trends in the development of international
situation. They will consider a range of issues related to the situation
in Afghanistan, and discuss measures to build up efforts by the SCO-member
states in fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and cross-border organized
crime, assistance in rebuilding the Afghan economy and strengthening
cooperation between the SCO and Kabul.
The ministers are expected to discuss the document on membership
criteria. "The theme of SCO enlargement is certainly topical, reflecting a
considerable interest in the operation of the association on the part of
other states," Sergei Lavrov said on Friday after talks with his Kazakh
colleague Yerzhan Kazykhanov.
During their meeting in Astana, the SCO leaders may consider the
membership criteria document. It was prepared by experts and the foreign
ministers of the member-states.