Beijing is hosting the 12th SCO Summit from June 6-7, which is expected to map out the future of the influential organization that brings together Russia and China, the two permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the energy-rich Central Asian states, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy the status of observers in the SCO.

An Iranian delegation, headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has attended the event.

President Ahmadinejad and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet each other and confer on latest international developments, here on Thursday on the sideline of this summit.