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Uzbekistan 03/09/2007 SCO members favour India’s entry in regional grouping
Two members of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have favoured India’s inclusion in the regional group, insisting that the move would boost trade.

"We will support India if it makes up its mind on becoming a member of SCO. Naturally, it will also increase bilateral trade between Kyrgyztan and India," Irina A Orolbaeva, ambassador of Kyrgyztan, said.

India has observer status along with Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia in the organisation which has Russia, China, Uzbekistan and Takjikstan as its members. Unlike the other observers, India has not applied for the membership of the SCO.

"Of course, we would like a great economic power like India to become a member," said Kairat Akhmetalim, Counsellor in the embassy of Kazakhstan.

The seventh annual summit of the SCO was held earlier last month in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek where India was represented by a delegation led by Petroleum Minister Murli Deora.

However, prior to the meeting, the existing members of the grouping had indefinitely postponed accepting new members.

"India itself has to decide on what it wants from the SCO. We had Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad this time, which clearly indicates the keenness of the respective countries to engage with the grouping," Orolbaeva said.
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