Bishkek Holds SCO Defense Ministers Meeting

On April 28, a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) states' defense ministers is held in Bishkek. The event is attended by the heads of defense departments of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, China, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Iran, and the SCO Secretary General.

Before the meeting, the participants laid flowers at the Eternal Flame in Victory Square. On April 27, Belarus' Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin met with the Deputy Minister of Defense of Iran. The parties discussed current issues of bilateral military cooperation and exchanged views on global and regional security. Particular attention was paid to the situation in the Middle East.

Minsk reaffirmed its consistent and principled position on international security issues. It was noted that the only way to resolve all contradictions is to return to a political and diplomatic settlement and intensify the negotiating process.