Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will on Tuesday, April 24 discuss regional security with his counterparts from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing, Serdyukov’s spokeswoman Lt. Col. Irina Kovalchuk said.
“A number of bilateral meetings with SCO Defense Ministers and China’s leadership are expected to take place during the visit to Beijing,” Kovalchuk said.
She said the fight against international terrorism, countering international drug trafficking and joint military exercises will also be on the visit agenda.
SCO Defense Ministers will sign a joint statement after the meeting, RIA Novosti reported.
The SCO, set up in 2001, includes Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Pakistan, India, Iran and Mongolia have observer status while Turkmenistan and Afghanistan attend SCO gatherings as guest nations.
China has held the organization’s rotating presidency since August 1, 2011.
