Military officers from members and observers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded their meeting in Beijing yesterday, with in-depth exchange of views on defense and security cooperation within the SCO framework.

 

During the 10-day forum themed "China's Peaceful Development and the SCO," the 25 senior military officers also discussed international and regional security situation and anti-terrorism cooperation.

 

The forum, the second one following last year's, aimed at boosting pragmatic cooperation in defense and security fields among SCO members and observers, according to sources with the Chinese Defense Ministry, the organizer of the forum.

 

The participants are from the SCO member countries of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and SCO observer countries of Mongolia, Pakistan and India.

 

Last year's forum was also held in China.

 

Established in 2001, the SCO is committed to fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism and maintaining regional peace, security and stability.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2006)