YEKATERINBURG, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev opened the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on Monday with a focus on regional security and efforts against the global financial crisis.
"I propose we [the member states] start discussions on regional security and the global financial crisis, and representatives of the observer countries will join us later, and a plenary session will involve all the delegations," Medvedev said.
The organization comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
The Kremlin said earlier a SCO plenary session on Tuesday would be attended by the presidents of Iran and Pakistan, the prime minister of India, an envoy of the president of Mongolia, the countries that hold observer status at the group, which has recently moved to encompass economic and energy projects. The Afghan president will attend the session as a guest.
Representatives from a number of international organizations, including the United Nations and three post-Soviet alliances - the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Community, will also be present.
