Grateful to Indian side for supporting Belarus in becoming full member of SCO, says envoy Mikhail Kasko

Exuding confidence, the envoy said that Belarus would significantly enhance interaction in political, economic, trade, scientific, cultural and other areas of SCO activities as a full member of the bloc.

While speaking to ANI, the Belarusian Ambassador said, "We are grateful to the Indian side for support of the Republic of Belarus to become a full member of the SCO. Belarus is already at the finish line in terms of joining the SCO. We ratified the Memorandum, joined all international treaties within the Organization and are ready for active joint work within the SCO dimension."

Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a permanent intergovernmental international organization established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai (PRC) by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In response to the question, about India's support for Belarus's application for full-fledged membership in the SCO, he said that the Republic of Belarus, being in a strategically important geographic location, is further ready to contribute to the development of the SCO cooperation in the fields of economics and security, using its transit, industrial and scientific potential, experience in peacekeeping and multilateral diplomacy."

"As part of the initiatives, the SCO countries are invited to use the capabilities of Belarus as a country with a traditionally strong and efficient agricultural sector, high-tech production, a strong intellectual base and agricultural engineering to preserve and strengthen the food, nuclear and cyber security of the countries of the Eurasian region," Kasko added.

Further, the envoy also highlighted various initiatives within the SCO, focusing on food security, common transport and logistics development, scientific and technical cooperation, and strengthening humanitarian ties.

The envoy expressed confidence that Belarus, as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, will greatly contribute to enhancing political, economic, trade, scientific, cultural, and other aspects of SCO activities.

"We are confident that, as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Republic of Belarus will make a significant contribution to strengthening and enhancement of political, economic, trade, scientific, cultural interaction and other spheres of the SCO activities," the Belarusian Ambassador told ANI

The envoy also highlighted regional cooperation between India and Belarus, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the United Nations (UN).

"Traditionally Belarus takes an active part in the UN and other international organizations' activities, generates approaches and initiatives that offer a uniting agenda for all members of the international community, promote dialogue and help to bridge the dividing lines," the envoy said.

"Indissoluble common goals, interests and values allow our countries to interact in the international arena in a constructive way. The positions of Belarus and India are close or coincide on major issues of international peace and security, on approaches for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as on decisions of major international summits, conferences and other forums. Both countries speak for effective solutions to global and regional problems of the present which meet the interests of the entire international community," he added.

The envoy also expressed Belarus's interest in bolstering ties with India, and appreciated India's consistent support for Belarus's positions in the international arena and assured reciprocal support.

"We are interested in strengthening relations with India in international organizations in order to ensure efficient solutions to global challenges such as food and energy security, financial volatility and climate change. We are grateful to the Indian Side for the continued support of our positions in the international arena and always respond to the Indian Side the same way," he said.

Earlier, in March, Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik also thanked India for supporting its application for full-fledged membership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), while pressing for a "just, fair and multi-polar world order."

Aleinik was on a three-day visit to India from March 11-13, during which he also held a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The Belarus FM appreciated the fact that India was the first country to ratify the memorandum on Belarus' accession to SCO. He said the two leaders also discussed Balarus' BRICS membership. (ANI)