DUSHANBE, June 8, 2016, Asia-Plus – Defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations today met in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to discuss the promotion of cooperation within the Organization.

Faridoun Mahmadalizoda, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan, says the meeting participants are exchanging views on problems of international and regional security, consolidation of efforts to adequately address new challenges and threats within the SCO area of responsibility.

They will also discuss preparations for the command-and-staff drill, dubbed Peace Mission 2016, which is expected to be conducted in Kyrgyzstan in September this year, Mahmadalizoda noted. 

The 3rd international festival of military brass bands of the SCO member nations “Trumpet of Peace” will take place in Astana on the sideline of the SCEO defense ministers’ meeting.

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

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.  With observer states included, its affiliates account for about half of the world''s population.