Maintaining Security One of SCO's Main Tasks - Putin
08:28 GMT 04.07.2024 (Updated: 10:35 GMT 04.07.2024)
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Earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the official accession of Belarus to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a full member of the association.
"I would like to welcome all of you and, of course, President of Belarus Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko in connection with the completion of the procedure for the admission of the Republic of Belarus to official members of the SCO," Putin said at the SCO summit.
Earlier in the day, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that Belarus was officially accepted as a member of the SCO at the summit in Astana.
Close Economic Ties in SCO Bring Obvious Dividends to All Participants
Close economic ties in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) bring obvious dividends to all participants, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Close economic ties bring obvious dividends to all participants. The facts speak for themselves. Thus, the average GDP growth of the member countries of our organization last year amounted to more than 5%, industrial production to 4.5%, while the inflation rate is only 2.4%. At the same time, Russia's trade with the SCO states has increased by a quarter," Putin said during a speech at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the organization.
The draft decision on the development of the SCO strategy until 2035 outlines prospects for further deepening cooperation not only in politics and security, but also in the economy, energy, agriculture, high technologies and innovations, Putin said.
Share of National Currencies in Russia's Transactions With SCO States Exceeds 92%
The SCO states are increasing the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, their share in Russia's commercial transactions with the organization's participants exceeded 92% in the first four months of 2024, Vladimir Putin said.
"Our countries are increasing the use of national currencies in mutual settlements. For example, their share in Russia's commercial transactions with the organization's participants has already exceeded 92% in the first four months of this year," Putin said during a speech at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the organization.
Maintaining Security One of SCO's Main Tasks
The security of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) remains a priority in the organization's work, and the SCO regional anti-terrorist structure will be transformed to fulfill this task, Putin said.
"Of course, one of the priorities in the SCO's activities has been and remains the maintenance of the security of state participants along the perimeter of the external borders. This is exactly what the decisions taken today on the transformation of the SCO regional anti-terrorist structure into a universal center that will respond to the full range of security threats, as well as on the establishment of an anti-drug center in Dushanbe," Putin said at a meeting of the Council of heads of SCO member states in Astana.
The fight against separatism and extremism in the SCO space will also be facilitated by the program of cooperation in this area approved during the organization's summit in Kazakhstan, Putin said.
Russia Puts Premium on Partnership Cooperation Within SCO
Russia puts a premium on partnership cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as the cooperation there is developing based on the principles of equality and consideration of interests, Vladimir Putin said.
"Russia puts a premium to the partnership cooperation within the SCO. We are pleased to note that this cooperation continues to develop steadily on the principles of equality, consideration of each other's interests, respect for cultural and civilization diversity, and the search for joint solutions to pressing security issues," Putin said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO member states in Astana.
Due to the active participation of Kazakh colleagues "a really solid package of documents and decisions has been prepared for approval at the current council," Putin added.
"Their implementation will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the role and influence of the SCO. The SCO countries' approaches to key aspects of the global and regional agenda are reflected in the Astana Declaration submitted for approval at the summit. It additionally highlights the commitment of all SCO participants to the formation of a just multipolar world order based on the central role of the United Nations, on international law, and on the desire of sovereign states for mutually beneficial partnership," the Russian president said.
Russia Supports Idea of Resuming Work of SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group
Moscow supports the idea of resuming the work of the the Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Afghanistan contact group and believes that this will help to further normalize the situation in the country, Putin said.
Russia supports the idea of resuming the work of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group, which will help normalize the situation in this country, President Vladimir Putin says. pic.twitter.com/RigVK6eWcX
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 4, 2024
"We consider it right that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has traditionally been closely involved in the problems of Afghanistan. We support the idea of resuming the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group. We think this will contribute to the further normalization of the situation in this country," Putin said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO member states in Astana.
Spread of Potential Conflict Hotbeds on Eurasian Continent to Bring Chaos
Potential conflict hotbeds remain on the Eurasian continent, and their expansion which will bring chaos and instability, Vladimir Putin said.
"Unfortunately, on the Eurasian continent, in Greater Eurasia, there are still other potential hotbeds of conflict, the proliferation of which is fraught with chaos and instability. First of all, of course, it is the Middle East and specifically the situation in the Gaza Strip," Putin said.
