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Volfovich: All procedures regarding Belarus’ accession to SCO are completed

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MINSK, 8 April (BelTA) – The work to settle all procedural matters regarding Belarus’ accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been completed, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich told the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA has learned.

He recalled that Belarus took part in the 19th Meeting of the SCO Security Council Secretaries in Astana as an observer country at the invitation of Kazakhstan.

“I believe that it was our last meeting in the capacity of an observer state. I hope that the procedure for accepting our country to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be finalized at the summit of the heads of state in July. All procedural issues related to the admission of our country into the organization have been settled. I have recently talked to the SCO secretary general. He assured me that all the states had signed the relevant protocol documents. The only thing that remains to be done is to finalize this accession at the SCO summit of the heads of state,” he noted.

It is symbolic that it will take place on 4 July, a day after the 80th anniversary of liberation from the Nazi invaders, Aleksandr Volfovich emphasized.

“We will be the tenth country to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. And, as I was told, the first in alphabetical order in the Shanghai Club, which is also rather symbolic. Indeed, Belarus is committed to all those things that were discussed at the meeting, and supports all the initiatives put forward by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” he assured.

“The SCO is a unique organization. It is not a military and political bloc, but this organization makes decisions on security and stability in the area of responsibility of its member states. Although today it includes nine countries, they make up almost 65% of Eurasia and 25% of the entire globe. These countries’ population is 4 billion people, almost half of the world’s population. And the authority of the Shanghai organization is steadily growing, though, unfortunately, this is happening against the backdrop of a decline in the authority of international organizations such as the United Nations and the OSCE. Thus, the SCO is unique, efficient, productive and open to interaction with all international platforms and structures.”

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