Defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a five-year-old six-member regional organization, gathered on Wednesday in Beijing for regional security talks.

"This defense ministers meeting will review the past and exchange views on issues of common concern," Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said in the opening address Wednesday morning.

Ten years ago, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, known as the "Shanghai Five", gathered in Shanghai and reached an agreement on the buildup of mutual-trust in the military field along the border regions, Cao said.

The "Shanghai Five" evolved into the SCO in 2001 by adding Uzbekistan as a member. Now the SCO is the only international organization named after a Chinese city.

The five visiting defense ministers to the meeting were Kyrgyzstan's Ismail Isakov, Russsia's Sergei Ivanov, Tajikistan's Sherali Khairullaev and Uzbekistan's Ruslan Mirzayevare and Kazakhstan's B. Darbekov.

The defense ministers are expected to discuss regional security issues, including the fight against the "three forces" of separatism, terrorism and extremism, and other issues of common concern.

A joint communique is expected to come out following the meeting, Cao said.

A string of one-on-one meetings between defense ministers are also scheduled.

Source: Xinhua