Discounting reports likening the SCO to an eastern NATO, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said that the charter of the SCO determined its nature of non-alliance, non-confrontation, not targeting at any third country or organisation and openness to outside parties.
There were speculations that SCO, dominated by China and Russia, could evolve into a major security forum as the two scaled up their relations to thwart United States pronounced push into the Asia Pacific with more military engagement. Liu told a media briefing here the robust development of the SCO lies in its quest for a new model of partnership for regional organisation, which conforms to the current trend of peace and development.
The China backed SCO, a security forum was founded in Shanghai in June 2001, and currently has six full members -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India are four observer states and its dialogue partners include Belarus and Sri Lanka. The two day summit attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna concluded today.