Global Courant
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to grant full membership to Belarus.
Putin said that Belarus’ participation via video link at the SCO Heads of State Council hosted by India in a virtual format will have a positive impact on the organization’s activities.
Noting that Iran completed the SCO membership process in 2 years, Erdoğan emphasized that other applications for membership to the organization should also be evaluated.
“The authority and influence of our association continues to strengthen, and its interest in the activities of other states and international structures is growing. Many are looking for ways to establish an equal dialogue with the SCO and are considering the possibility of participating in its work. They have confidence. They want to be friends with us and cooperate with us,” he said.
Moscow, on the other hand, plans to deepen its ties with its successfully growing SCO members, with trade turnover between SCO countries increasing by 37% last year to $263 billion.
“The use of national currencies in mutual agreements is becoming widespread. For example, more than 80% of commercial transactions between Russia and the People’s Republic of China are carried out in rubles and yuan. The share of Russian currency in all export transactions with SCO exceeded $40 in 2022,” he said.
Russia takes an active role in the implementation of the SCO roadmap on the transition to national currencies in bilateral trade, which was approved at the previous summit in Samarkand, the capital of Uzbekistan, because Moscow “to take coordinated measures to eliminate regulatory barriers, establish the necessary payment infrastructure and create an independent financial system.” “
Taking into account the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, the President of Russia cited ensuring security in the SCO countries and along their external borders as one of the main tasks of the organization.
Putin also stressed the need for SCO reform to progress, praised India’s SCO presidency and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for organizing the summit.
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