Murli Deora to attend SCO Summit at Bishkek

New Delhi, Aug 13: Petroleum Minister Murli Deora will lead the Indian delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit of Heads of State/Government in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek on August 16.

India has been invited as an 'Observer' to the Summit.

The Summit is expected to be attended by the Presidents of all SCO member countries including Russia, China and four Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri will lead his country's delegation.

India, alongwith Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia have Observer status while Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are Special Invitees.

A spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry today said the areas of interest for discussion at the Summit include counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics, economic, cultural and Human Resource Development.

Sources said the Summit is also expected to raise the issue of US bases in Central Asia. At the July 2005 Summit, SCO leaders had called on the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal of its military bases in Central Asia.

UNI