DUSHANBE, May 15, Asia-Plus  - The regular session of the council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense minister is going on in Dushanbe.

SCO includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have an observer status.

Defense ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China arrived in the Tajik capital yesterday.  Russia and Uzbekistan are represented at the meeting by deputy defense ministers. 

The session participants are considering further expansion of cooperation between SCO member nations and dates of the joint actions aimed to increase SCO defense capacity.

            The session is expected to result in signing of an agreement on cooperation between the defense ministries and a joint communiqué.  The agreement to be signed after the meeting will outline main areas of military cooperation between SCO member nations.  It aims to counter new challenges and threats to the regional security.