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Opinions & Interviews

7 Jul 2015

Belarus viewed as organic component of economic cooperation in SCO

MINSK, 7 July (BelTA) – Belarus can and is ready to organically contribute to economic cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization by tapping into its transit, industrial, and scientific potential. The statement was made by Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, BelTA has learned. The interview has been published by the Ministry’s website.

Valentin Rybakov is quoted as saying: “With its strategically important geographical location between Europe and Asia Belarus is capable of and is ready to organically complement economic cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization by utilizing its transit, industrial, and scientific potential.”

Belarus also views the SCO as an additional platform for building a bilateral dialogue between the heads of state of the member states, which number gradually increases. “Indeed, as a European country we are ready to become kind of a ‘western corridor’ for the SCO and we are ready to make our own contribution to the organization’s operation by making cooperation within the SCO framework more comprehensive and productive,” said the Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He reminded that the initiative of China President Xi Jinping to create the Silk Road Economic Belt is being implemented in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization space. Thanks to its geographical position between Russia and the European Union Belarus can become an important part of the project particularly in view of the establishment of the China-Belarus Industrial Park in the country.

Belarus’ efforts to achieve a higher status in the SCO are primarily shaped by pragmatic considerations. “Our actions are guided by our own national interests instead of the intention to follow in someone’s wake,” stressed the Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. In his words, the Belarusian side expects tangible results from taking part in events relating to the sphere of transit potential development, expansion of banking cooperation, credit, finance, and investment cooperation. Apart from that, Belarus would like to join the SCO’s legal base on enabling favorable conditions for international transportation by road.

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