Russia says 12 countries willing to join Shanghai security bloc

ST. PETERSBURG, June 30. /TASS/.Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday that twelve nations had expressed their willingness to join a security bloc grouping Russia, China and four ex-Soviet states in Central Asia. Speaking after a meeting with defence ministry officials from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Antonov said: "Applications from India and Pakistan will be considered at a summit in the Russian city of Ufa [in early July]. Other countries also want to boost contacts with us, in particular between defence ministries." "Twelve states show interest in the organisation’s work and willingness to join it," he told journalists, adding that "it means that the SCO is gaining importance and stimulates our search for joint solutions to the most important problems of the region related to security and the fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and cybercrime". Russia, China and four Central Asian nations - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - formed the SCO in 2001 as a regional security bloc to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan. Last year, India and Pakistan, which have observer status in the organisation together with Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan, submitted applications for full membership. Iran also seeks to become a full-fledged member. Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey have the lesser status of dialogue partners. Read more