Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang on Tuesday called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to work out an agreement on facilitation of road transport as soon as possible, to lay a sound legal basis for regional transportation.

Zhang made the remarks in a meeting with transport ministers or their representatives from the SCO member states and observer nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan and the specially invited Afghanistan at the fourth conference of SCO transport ministers held in Beijing on Tuesday.

Zhang urged SCO member states to make transport a priority of cooperation, and jointly formulate the Plan on Road Network Development Coordination, and expedite the negotiation on the Agreement on Facilitation of International Road Transport.

The SCO, established in 2001, comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran are observers of the group.