KABUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai on Thursday described the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a regional entity and not anti-west saying his government wants to benefit from it.

    "I do not think the SCO is anti-west as it is a regional organization. You have such organizations among the countries in the north and South America. In Europe you have the European Union and in Africa you have the African Union," Karzai told newsmen after returning home from China.

    The Afghan President, who attended as special guest to the recently concluded the SCO summit, also expressed his government's favor to enhancing relations with the SCO nations.

    "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional entity and Afghanistan as a nation of the region interested in it to benefit. To benefit economically in order to help its people improve their living conditions," Karzai emphasized.

    The SCO is an intergovernmental international organization founded in Shanghai, China, on June 15, 2001 by six countries including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Enditem