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Putin arrives in Astana for SCO summit

Vladimir Putin will meet with China’s leader Xi Jinping on the summit’s sidelines

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

ASTANA, June 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Astana, where a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is opening on Thursday. Later in the day Putin will meet with China’s leader Xi Jinping on the summit’s sidelines.

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Putin, Xi to meet on June 8

"The two men will focus on bilateral cooperation within the SCO. Apparently, the problems concerning the situation on the Korean Peninsula will be touched upon," Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told the media earlier, adding that the leaders might discuss some other issues on the regional and international agenda.

A reception and gala show are on today’s agenda of the SCO summit.

The main events are due on Friday. Ushakov said the leaders would be discussing SCO development, the struggle against terrorism, the Middle East and Afghanistan and Iran’s application for SCO membership. The full-fledged membership of India and Pakistan will be formalized.

The SCO summit will end with the signing of eleven documents, including the Astana Declaration, a convention on resistance to extremism and a joint statement on countermeasures against international terrorism.

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