The countries that are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization must together develop effective tools to curb the infiltration of terrorism into the organization's area of ​​responsibility. Said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu when speaking at a meeting of heads of defense departments of SCO member states on April 24 in Beijing.

The Defense Ministers of Russia, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan discussed topical security issues at the meeting, as well as joint measures to consolidate efforts to respond to threats in the SCO's area of ​​responsibility. During the meeting, the results of military cooperation over the past year were summed up and perspective directions for further cooperation in the sphere of defense within the organization were considered, said the press service of the Russian Defense Minister.

As the Russian Defense Minister noted, special attention should be paid to the rapid exchange of information, the study of the experience of colleagues and the maintenance of close contacts among the general staffs. In connection with the changing challenges and threats in the field of security, constant analysis and the search for joint solutions are needed.

The Russian minister spoke about the first meeting of the expert working group at the meeting of the Defense Ministers of the SCO member states. It's about launching a new mechanism for cooperation in defense and security, he explained. According to Shoigu, the response mechanisms will be more effective taking into account the knowledge of tactical methods of terrorists. He invited his colleagues to fully take into account the experience gained by Russia in Syria when conducting the joint peace mission. The SCO exercise will be held on Russian territory in August 2018. The active phase of the exercises will include a joint operation to eliminate bandit formations and a meeting of the chiefs of the general staffs.