Events

16 Oct 2023

Zhang Ming: Belarus may become SCO full member in 2024

Photo courtesy of the SCO

MINSK, 16 October (BelTA) – Belarus may become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2024, SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming said in an interview with the First National Channel of the Belarusian Radio, BelTA reports.

“A memorandum of commitment by the Republic of Belarus to join the organization as a full member was signed at the SCO summit in New Delhi. This is a very important document for acquiring the status of a member state. Minsk is already taking part in the activities of a number of mechanisms of the organization, it is on the way to full membership, and this process is proceeding successfully. The accession of the Republic of Belarus to the SCO implies active support of the member states. The time needed to complete the internal procedures for the entry into force of the memorandum of understanding varies depending on the situation in each member state and the completion of a number of legal procedures,” Zhang Ming said.

In line with the admission rules, the next step should be ratification of this document by the Republic of Belarus, the SCO secretary-general noted. “After that, the applicant accedes to the charter, the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism of 15 June 2001, and a number of other international treaties and documents of the SCO,” he emphasized.

“Simultaneously, the implementation of internal procedures is underway in the member states. The SCO Secretariat, which is actively involved in this issue, has already begun to receive notifications from member states about the completion of the procedures necessary for the entry into force of the memorandum. As soon as the last notification arrives at the SCO Secretariat, Belarus will be able ratify the second part of the agreements. We expect that Minsk will become the tenth full member of the organization at the Astana summit next year,” Zhang Ming added.



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