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Shanghai Cooperation Organization expanded

24 June 2016 18:12 (UTC+04:00)
Shanghai Cooperation Organization expanded

By Fatma Babayeva

Heads of the states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) signed memorandums on India and Pakistan’s joining the organization during the summit held in Uzbek capital Tashkent on June 24.

The participants of the summit believe that it will take the SCO to the next level. The procedure for the admission of India and Pakistan to the SCO was launched in 2015.

With accepting these new members, SCO will unite more than 60 percent of the Eurasian territory, 45 percent of the world's population and over 19 percent of the world GDP, according to President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Member countries of the SCO will continue cooperation in disarmament and control over weapons, in non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, in political-diplomatic settlement of regional challenges to regimes of non-proliferation according to the common, equal and indivisible security for all, the countries said in the Tashkent declaration adopted after at summit on Friday, TASS reported.

The SCO countries also are for strict observing of the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, for the overwhelming graduate promotion of all purposes and approaches, reflected in the Treat.

The heads of SCO states stressed the need to stabilize the situation in the Middle East and Northern Africa by political settlements of crises in compliance with the UN Charter and the commonly recognized norms of the international law.

The document further says the soonest achieving of peace and stability in Afghanistan is a major factor for maintaining and improving the security in the region.

The member countries support settlement of the inner Afghani conflict via promotion of the inclusive process of national reconciliation and believe these efforts should be undertaken under leadership of the Afghani and by the Afghani, the document reads.

Furthermore, next chairmanship of the organization will be carried out by Kazakhstan.

President Nazarbayev noted that during the chairmanship at the SCO, Kazakhstan intends to continue the great work done by Uzbekistan and to contribute to the development and strengthening of the SCO, to enhance its role and authority in the world.

“Strengthening the regional security, developing the economic cooperation, revealing the transit and transport potential, and deepening the cultural and humanitarian ties are among the priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship,” added Nazarbayev.

He went on saying that the next summit of the heads of SCO member states will be held June 8-9, 2017, in Astana.

The SCO was established in 2001. The SCO members now are China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan, Iran, Mongolia and Belarus are the SCO observer-countries, while Turkey, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.

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Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

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