Azerbaijan has applied for observer status of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Secretary General Dmitry Mezentsev said earlier.
“We discussed the course of consideration of applications for admission of India, Iran and Pakistan, as well as proposals to grant observer status to Belarus and a “dialogue partner” status to Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said the secretary of the Russian Security Council. “Our opinion will be delivered to the SCO heads of state.”
He said that Russia`s chairmanship of the SCO this year is “based on the need to further enhance the image of the organization in the world affairs and its further strengthening as a full-fledged international organization.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a regional international association. It was established on June 15, 2001 on the basis of the so-called "Shanghai Five", including Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, operating since 1996.
At present, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are SCO member-states. An observer status was granted to Mongolia, India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey have a "dialogue partner" status.
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