Ahamdinejad to skip Shanghai group meeting

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans to stay away from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting to snub Russian and Chinese counterparts who have shown support for the new US-backed economic sanctions against Iran, AFP reports.

A high-ranking Russian official has informed AFP that Ahmadinejad will not attend the meeting and instead a delegation from Iran will be present at the meeting this week.

Ties between old allies Iran and Russia have slackened with the recent supportive stance of Russia regarding the economic sanctions being passed today at the United Nations against Iran.

ISNA reported today that Iranian Foreign Minister Monouchehr Mottaki will go to Tashkent at the head of an Iranian delegation to attend the SCO meeting.

The SCO is a regional security group that was set up as a counterpart to NATO in 2001 and this year it is opening its door to new members.

In addition to China and Russia, the SCO includes countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Several countries such as Iran, India and Pakistan that have been holding observing position have expressed interest in joining the organization.