DUSHANBE, May 12, Asia-Plus  -- The next meeting of defense ministers of member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is scheduled to be held in Dushanbe from May 14-15. 

Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Khairulloyev will preside over the SCO defense ministers’ in Dushanbe, the source at the directorate for foreign military cooperation within the Ministry of Defense (MoD).

The meeting participants, including defense ministers from Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, are aiming to consider  a number of issues related to dates for holding joint events dedicated to raise defense potentials of the organization as well as adequate actions to address possible challenges and threats.  

The source at a MoD said that Tajikistan has formally taken over as the rotating chair of the organization this year.