DUSHANBE, April 14, 2015, Asia-Plus - The program of military interaction between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states is on the agenda of a meeting of the SCO Security Council Secretaries that is taking place in Moscow today.

Russian media sources report the meeting has brought together Security Council Secretaries from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The 10th annual meeting in Moscow is also attended by representatives of observer countries - Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan.

The meeting participants are reportedly discussing issues related to providing security in the SCO area of responsibility (AoR) in light of changing situation in neighboring regions.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin received Security Council Secretaries of the CSO members and observers.  According to TASS, Russian president, in particular, highlighted a number of issues on the agenda related to the improvement of the instruments of cooperation and the fight against terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.  Putin expressed hope that the SCO Security Council Secretaries’ meeting will work out recommendations for the upcoming SCO summit in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic (in the Volga Federal District) in order to use the developed material for further decision making in the field of security.

Founded by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on June 15, 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization.  Except for Uzbekistan, the other countries had been members of the Shanghai Five; after the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001, the members renamed the organization.

The Organization currently has six full members -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India are four observer states, and SCO’s dialogue partners include Belarus, 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.  With observer states included, its affiliates account for about half of the world''s population.