The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has accepted Mongolia as an observer to the organization under a decision made by the heads of state of the six members of the SCO at the 2004 summit meeting Thursday.

Mongolian external relations minister Luvsangiin Erdenechuluun participated in the SCO summit meeting as a special envoy of Mongolian president Nachagyn Bagabandy. On behalf of the president, Erdenechuluun formally made the request to join the SCO as an observer.

President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan said at a press conference following the half-day summit meeting that all heads of the SCO members have agreed to accept Mongolia as an observer to the organization.

The SCO, founded in Shanghai in 2001, now has six members. They are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The presidents of the six countries attended the current summit.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the meeting as a guest of Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

Karimov said Karzai's participation in the meeting shows the interest of the Afghan government in developing cooperation with the SCO.