SCO seeks to forge closer ties, says not against any country

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Tuesday said the Eurasian security and political grouping is not directed against any other states and is open to broad cooperation with all.

A joint declaration by the leaders at the end of an online summit hosted by India also said the SCO opposes the resolution of international and regional issues through "collectivisation, ideology and confrontational thinking".

SCO was formed in 2001 by Beijing and Moscow and also includes India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.


Iran became the ninth member to join the grouping on Tuesday.