The ad hoc Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers' Meeting opened in Beijing Thursday. Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing made the opening address at the one-day meeting. 

The other five foreign ministers, Kasymzhomart Tokayev from Kazakhstan, Askar Aytmatov from Kyrgyzstan, Igor Ivanov from Russia, Talbak Nazarov from Tajikistan, and Sodik Safaev from Uzbekistan attended the meeting.

The ministers, along with representatives of some international organizations, will be present at the opening ceremony of the secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) later Thursday.

The SCO, officially established in June 2001, comprises China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2004)