Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Archive photoMINSK, June 15 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Zhang Ming on the anniversary of the founding of the SCO and noted the significant contribution of the organization to the development of the Eurasian region, the press service of the head of the Belarusian state said. congratulations on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which throughout its history has made a significant contribution to the stable and progressive development of the Eurasian region,» the press service quoted the congratulations.
Belarus has prepared an application for membership in the SCO, Lukashenka noted that «concrete results are obvious in the field of peacekeeping and confidence-building, deepening multidisciplinary economic and humanitarian cooperation.» «Evidence of the increased authority of the organization, in which many see an opportunity to implement various expanding its borders with the involvement of new participants,» Lukashenka stressed. He added that, «celebrating this year the round dates of the organization's historic decisions — the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the SCO Charter and the 15th anniversary of the Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, the countries of the SCO family, thanks to their commitment to the «Shanghai spirit», successfully overcome obstacles in path to common prosperity and progress.» «I assure you that Belarus, as before, will actively participate in all dimensions of the organization, helping to unlock the enormous potential of unity and partnership,» the Belarusian president said. The SCO is an international organization founded in 2001 . India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan participate in it. Observer countries — Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, partner countries — Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka. At the SCO summit in Dushanbe in September, the procedure for admitting Iran to the organization and granting the status of a dialogue partner to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia was launched. urged to put cooperation between the EAEU and the SCO on a practical footing
