Events

MINSK, 10 July (BelTA) - Belarus is ready to make its contribution to the development of the comprehensive fruitful cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, reads the statement of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the awarding Belarus the observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BelTA has learned.

"Belarus can and is willing to complement naturally the economic cooperation within the SCO using our transit, industrial and scientific potential, and to participate actively in the coordination of issues related to the security in the region," the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Belarus expresses gratitude to all SCO member states for their trust and support in upgrading Belarus’ status in the SCO. "Our country stands ready to contribute to the organization's activities, work to ensure that cooperation within the SCO should be more comprehensive and fruitful," the statement reads.

The SCO areas of focus both in security, economy, and humanitarian cooperation are relevant not only in the Asian region but also in a broader geographical context. Belarus is the only fully European state in the SCO which has an open border with Russia, therefore it is exposed to the same threats and influences that the rest of the SCO space are dealing with. For five years the Belarusian side has been actively involved in a number of activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the status of dialogue partner. Belarus has close ties with the SCO countries: the Union State with Russia, comprehensive strategic partnership with China, cooperation with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the CIS, four of the six SCO states are members of the CSTO along with Belarus.

As was reported, at the Ufa Summit the SCO heads of state adopted a decision to grant Belarus the observer status in the SCO.