By Rhod Mackenzie
The speedy entry of Belarus into the SCO will have a positive impact on the activities of the association, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sure.
"Russia also stands for the speedy completion of the process of accession to the SCO of the Republic of Belarus. We are convinced that the membership of Belarus, which is a strategic partner and the closest ally of Russia, will have a positive impact on the activities of the association," Putin said, speaking on Tuesday at the SCO summit, which is being held in videoconferencing mode.
In addition, according to him, the consideration of a fairly solid portfolio of applications from other states that wish to cooperate with the SCO in various capacities requires the most attentive and constructive attitude.
The President of the Russian Federation noted that the authority and influence of the association continue to grow stronger. "Interest in its activities is growing on the part of other states and international structures, many of them are striving to establish an equal dialogue with the SCO and are considering the possibility of joining its work. They trust us, they want to be friends and cooperate with us," Putin said.
He noted that Iran will now participate in the work of the SCO in a full format. "And I want to sincerely congratulate on this and sincerely greet the President of Iran, Mr. Raisi. In less than two years, the Iranian partners have completed all the necessary procedures, and now our common task is to help our colleagues to effectively integrate into the multifaceted work being carried out within the framework of the Shanghai Organization," he said. Putin.
This article originally appeared in Russian at interfax.ru