SCO membership in sight for Mongolia - China's FM
BEIJING. KAZINFORM - After ten years as an observer state, Mongolia may become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), comprising states in Eurasia and East Asia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
"We have great prospects for the development of the SCO," Wang Yi told a reception in Beijing on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the organization's foundation. "There are currently five observers and three dialogue partners in the organization." "We have received a message from the Mongolian prime minister on the occasion. Although we have not scrutinized the contents of this message yet, we regard it as a good signal," he added. "Ten years have passed, and it is time to consider preparations for granting Mongolia a status of a full-fledged member of the SCO." Founded in 2001, the Beijing-based Shanghai Cooperation Organization is composed of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The security organization consolidates efforts to counter terrorism and radicalization in member-states, and also works in other spheres such as politics and trade, Itar-Tass reports. Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status, while Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey are described as 'dialogue partners'.