Defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations gathered in the Kazakh capital of Astana today to discuss cooperation issues.

According to media reports, the meeting participants discussed the results of the past year’s work and prospects of further expansion of cooperation.

The SCO defense ministers reportedly endorsed the plan of cooperation for 2018-2019 and signed an intent protocol on the study and  preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

The meeting resulted in signing of a Joint Communiqué  

On the same day, defense ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Uzbekistan met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The next meeting of the SCO Council of Defense Ministers will take place in 2018 in China.

Recall, the previous 13th meeting of the SCO Council of Defense Ministers took place in Astana on June 8, 2016.  During a June 8, 2016 meeting, the SCO defense ministers reportedly summed up the results of cooperation, stressing that as the threat of international terrorism activities continue to rise, the defense departments and armed forces of SCO countries should further enhance cooperation and join hands to safeguard regional security and stability.  The Defense Ministers of SCO Countries Joint Communiqué and other documents were signed at the meeting.  After the meeting, the SCO defense ministers participated in the 3rd "Horn of Peace" military music festival held by SCO countries' military organizations.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization currently has six full members -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  India and Pakistan are acceding states.  Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are four observer states, and SCO’s dialogue partners include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.  ACEAN, CIS and Turkmenistan are guest attendances.

The Organization’s six full members account for 60% of the land mass of Eurasia and its population is a quarter of the world’s population.