ASTANA, May 19. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Astana where he will attend a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on May 20 and 21, a TASS correspondent reported.

The SCO foreign ministers will discuss preparations for the organization’s summit due to be held on July 3 and 4, as well as topical international topics.

Special attention will be focused on the prospects for the organization’s further development and its adaptation to the formation of a new world order. The top Russian diplomat will hold a number of bilateral meetings.

The ministers will agree upon a package of documents to be signed by the heads of state.

The July 3-4 summit is expected to endorse Belarus’ admission to the SCO as its full-fledged member.

The ministers will also discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and in the Middle East in general, as well as issues of promoting stabilization in Afghanistan, combating terrorist and drug threats.