Asif to attend SCO ministers meeting in Beijing

Islamabad April 19 (IANS) Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will visit China to attend the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing from April 23-24.

Pakistan s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the Council of Foreign Ministers will discuss issues related to peace and security at the international and regional level and promotion of cooperation between member states Xinhua news agency reported.

Asif will also have a bilateral meeting with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Faisal said.

Pakistan became a full member of the SCO in June. The organisation was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia China Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The SCO comprises of eight member states -- China Kyrgyzstan Pakistan Russia Tajikistan India Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The SCO has four members with observer status including Afghanistan Belarus Iran and Mongolia.

--IANS
soni/bg