Three states can receive observer status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the beginning of July.

The SCO foreign ministers adopted, at their Astana summit on 4 June, recommendation to provide observer status to three countries at the SCO heads? summit in Kazakh capital, scheduled for 5 July. In their statement, foreign ministers of the SCO said Iran, India and Pakistan are seeking observer status in the organization.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization founded in 2001 and unites Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, China, Russia and Uzbekistan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that provision of observer status to three countries shows bright future of the SCO and strengthening of its prestige, as well as expands partners circle.

Currently, only Mongolia has observer status at the SCO, which it received in Tashkent summit of the SCO heads in 2004.