SCO

SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation which was founded by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

 The SCO decided to admit India and Pakistan as full members at Tashkent, thereby starting the formal process of joining the SCO as full members.

 The acceptance process will take some months, by which they are expected to become full members by the next meeting at Astana in 2017.

 The official working languages of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation are Chinese and Russian.

 Observer status is given given to Iran, Mongolia, Belarus, Afghanistan.

 Members agreed to "oppose intervention in other countries' internal affairs on the pretexts of 'humanitarianism' and 'protecting human rights;' and support the efforts of one another in safeguarding the five countries' national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and social stability.

 With observer states included, its affiliates account for about half of the world's population.

 The Council of Heads of State is the top decision-making body in the SCO.

 The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.

 All SCO members but China are also members of the Eurasian Economic Community.

 The original purpose of the SCO was to serve as a counterbalance to NATO and in particular to avoid conflicts that would allow the United States to intervene in areas bordering both Russia and China.