Medvedev seeks support on Georgia conflict at Tajikistan summit

Moscow, Aug 28 (UNI) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said his country was seeking support from the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on its armed conflict with Georgia.

The leaders of the SCO are holding their regular summit in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, today.

The summit of Shanghai regional security group is the first high-level meeting of the leaders of Russia, China and four Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan after the Kremlin's recognition of Georgia's two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on Tuesday.

The group also has Mongolia, India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan as observers whose representatives are also expected to attend the summit.

''We are confident that the position of SCO member states will produce an appropriate resonance through the international community, and I hope this will give a serious signal to those who are trying to justify the aggression that was committed,'' RIA Novosti news agency quoted Mr Medvedev as saying ahead of the summit in Dushanbe today.

At the summit, the heads of state would adopt a series of documents on security and cooperation, and issue a joint declaration, which is expected to focus on the situation in South Ossetia.

Chinese President Hu Jintao is also participating in the summit.

The SCO, which was set up in 2001, primarily addresses security issues, but has recently moved to embrace economic and energy projects.

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