Minsk intends to seek an accelerated process of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Russia, like other states, supports it in this endeavor, Bakhtiyor Khakimov, special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for SCO affairs, said in an interview with Russian journalists, RIA Novosti reports.

“If many countries are interested in an organization, it means that it attracts. Not because it is some kind of excellent brand. Over 20 years, the SCO has accumulated a huge potential for interaction, practical experience in various areas. The SCO was created on the basis of agreements on confidence-building measures in the region as a multidisciplinary organization. Over the past years, through joint efforts, we have managed to create conditions that allow us to move forward,” Khakimov said, answering a question about how the organization attracts new members.

He noted that the number of people wishing to join the SCO is really vast.

“This is not only Iran, which will soon join the SCO. In addition, the process of accepting Belarus is underway. Russia, like other states, supports the desire of Minsk to become a member of the SCO in an accelerated manner. The main thing is that this coincides with the capabilities of national legislation,” Khakimov pointed out.

According to him, the total potential of the organization is very large, the SCO space covers the territory from South and Southeast Asia to Europe, and today it is growing in the Middle East dimension, thereby increasing the attractiveness of this interstate association.

The SCO is an international organization founded in 2001. India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan participate in it. Observer countries – Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, partner countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka. At the SCO summit in Samarkand, memorandums were signed on granting the status of dialogue partners to Egypt and Qatar. Bahrain, the Maldives, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Myanmar will also receive dialogue partner status.