The 22nd meeting for the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organization began Thursday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Leaders from the SCO Member States, including India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the SCO Observer States, including the Republic of Belarus, Iran, Mongolia and some other countries participated in the summit.

This meeting will run from September 15-16.

"It has three core goals, all of which are congruent with Afghanistan's national interests: solidarity between the countries of the region, eradicating American and NATO influence from the region, and creating a balance or altering the current relations in favor of Shanghai in the world," said Fazel Rahman Oria, a political analyst.

Although representatives from the Islamic Emirate have not been invited, it is expected that Afghanistan will also be discussed during the summit.

"Afghans hope that this significant economic and security conference will benefit Afghanistan in the political and economic areas," said Najibullah Jami, political analyst.

Afghanistan has been an observer member of SCO since the year 2012, yet this is the second time that no Afghan representative has been invited to this significant regional meeting.

According to some analysts, the end of the Kabul officials' travel exemption is the reason the Islamic Emirate was not invited to this meeting.

"The core members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization want to engage with the Taliban government and aim to distance Kabul from the western axis as much as possible," said Sayed Javad Sajadi, international relations expert.

"The Taliban's non-recognition is the reason they were not invited to the Shanghai Organization meeting. The Taliban have not fulfilled the demands of the international community," said Noorullah Raghi, another international relations expert.

The president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is the interim head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, declared Afghanistan to be a crucial member of the organization.

"The wise and esteemed president of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has a friendly and sympathetic approach toward Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan praises this stance taken by the friendly nation of Uzbekistan and sees it as a sign of a reliable, peaceful, and stable future for both nations,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate's spokesman.