SCO summit begins today, CEO Abdullah among participants

DUSHANBE (Pajhwok): The 17^th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit kicks off on Friday with heads of the members-states and observers in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, an official said.

Mujeeb Rahimi, the spokesman for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said that SCO summit is held annually to assess the policies of member states and regional situation.

CEO Abdullah who already arrived in Dushanbe would discuss the counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics efforts and spread light on regional cooperation and implementation of mega-regional projects, increased trade and connectivity and would seek the support of the regional countries for an Afghan-owned and led process, he said.

Earlier, Faridoon Khwazoon, deputy spokesman for the CEO said Foreigner Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and a number of government officials were accompanying Abdullah.

Khwazoon said the CEO would deliver a speech to the Shanghai summit and meet the president of Tajikistan and prime ministers of Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. He will meet the Indian foreign minister.

Abdullah will underline the need for a joint struggle against terrorism, the fight against drug trafficking, expansion of regional cooperation, implementation of macro projects and regional support for the Afghan-led peace process.

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