President Zardari in Beijing for SCO summit

BEIJING: President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday landed in Beijing to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and to hold extensive bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership.

President Zardari was warmly welcomed at the Beijing International Airport by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying, Ambassador Masood Khan, and senior diplomats from the Pakistan Embassy.

The two-day SCO summit is due to start today (Wednesday).

Pakistan has enjoyed observer status in the SCO since 2005, and has actively participated in its various conferences and events. However, this time President Zardari is expected to push for full membership in the forum.

Speaking to reporters, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that Pakistan is keen to get full SCO membership, and that President Zardari will strongly advocate Pakistan’s desire at the summit.

President Zardari is also expected to hold meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the summit sidelines. On the bilateral front, the president will hold meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Vice-President Xi Jinping.