Iran's bid to join SCO cannot be considered at the moment - MFA

11:37, 16 September 2014

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Iran's bid to join the SCO cannot be considered at the present time, this was announced by the National Coordinator of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shahrat Nuryshev at a press briefing in Central Communications Service.

"Currently, there are bids to join the SCO from India, Pakistan and Iran. The duly constituted summit exchanged views on the bids. Consideration of the issue will take place after the summit, before the next meeting. India has filed the bid just a week before the summit. Pakistan's application was filed back in 2006-2010. At the meeting the head of Pakistan delegation reiterated the country's interest in acquiring the status of the SCO member state. Iran's bid to get full membership of the SCO cannot be considered at the present time because, in accordance with the Regulation on the admission of new members, which was approved in 2010, countries under international sanctions cannot get membership in the SCO," Sh.Nuryshev said. Sh.Nuryshev recalled that the Head of State stressed that Kazakhstan welcomes the negotiation process between the P5+1 and Iran and hopes for a successful completion of the negations. The 14th meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO member states was held on September 11-12 in Dushanbe.

Diplomacy SCO Foreign policy