Pakistan will attend the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held on July 5 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Pakistan is taking part in the SCO's deliberations for the first time with an 'Observer' status. A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Liu Jianchao told reporters at a weekly news briefing here, on Thursday that his country welcomes Pakistan's participation in the key regional security grouping.
Liu said and hoped that the expansion of the SCO would be beneficial to increase mutual understanding and promoting co-operation at bilateral and regional levels.
The issue concerning anti-terrorism would be a major topic during the upcoming summit, he said adding the agenda for the summit had been drafted through discussions and leaders attending the meeting would have in-depth exchange of views.
Security, economy and trade issues are the main agenda of the SCO.
"Combating 'three evil forces', namely, terrorism, extremism and separatism as well as encouraging economic and trade co-operation are two important elements driving the development of the SCO," said the spokesman.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the SCO Secretariat said that Pakistan's presence in the six-nation SCO would help it to deepen security and economic ties with the entire resource rich Central Asian region as well as reinforce its ties individually with each of the countries, the sources added.
Talking to APP, he commended Pakistan's role in the coalition against terrorism. The SCO, he said fully recognised Pakistan's consistent efforts to make the region free of terrorism.
The SCO has emerged an important organisation in the region, making collective efforts to fight against terrorism and help guarantee regional security and stability.
It is dedicated to strengthen mutual trust and good-neighbourly and friendly relations among member states, jointly ensure regional peace, security and stability, and help create a new international political and economic order.
The SCO, set up in June 2001 to promote regional co-operation and fight terrorism, extremism and separatism, groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The SCO's Foreign Ministers' meeting held earlier this month also decided to give observer status to India and Iran.