Pakistani FM to attend SCO ministers' meeting in Beijing

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will visit China to attend the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing on April 23-24, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

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.

The foreign minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the spokesman said at his weekly briefing.

Pakistan became a full member of the SCO in June last year and has been playing active role in the organization.

The SCO was founded at a Summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

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

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