Opinions & Interviews

BEIJING, 13 June (BelTA) – Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Rashid Alimov believes that cooperation with Belarus in bilateral and multilateral projects holds a lot of promise. The SCO Secretary General made the relevant statement during the meeting with mass media of the SCO member states in the SCO HQ in Beijing, China prior to the Tashkent summit and the 15^th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BelTA has learned.

Rashid Alimov said: “Both we and Belarus are interested in active cooperation that holds a lot of promise. Belarus’ participation in bilateral projects and multilateral programs is important.”

Last year Belarus was granted the observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Prior to that Belarus worked with the SCO as a dialogue partner.

The SCO Secretary General noted that at present the organization unites 18 countries, six of which are principal members — China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Another six are observers and another six are dialogue partners.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is designed to bolster friendship and good neighborhood, advance multifaceted cooperation for the sake of maintaining and enhancing peace, security and stability in the region. Besides, the organization places emphasis on working together to counteract terrorism, separatism, extremism, fight against the illegal turnover of drugs and weapons, other kinds of transnational crime, and illegal migration. The SCO goals also include promoting comprehensive balanced economic growth, social and cultural development, and coordinating approaches to integration into the global economy.